I don’t have a lot of words for any of this. Perhaps my heart’s unstoppable gravitation to all the people and parents and children in Japan, and neighboring countries is also at play in my emotional reaction here. Who of us doesn’t on some level imagine our own parenting through a natural disaster these days?
As a single mother with a zillion more resources, and as an adoptive parent I experienced this visual story on so many layers. For the women in this slideshow what they are taking on every day in “normal” times is beyond what I face in the worst of times. It is a New York Time’s slideshow from 2009. I came across it last night while being shaken inside out reading this incredible blog by a Korean adult adoptee called Yoon’s Blur. As Color Online wrote yesterday, Japan and Asia are in her heart. The Red Cross is where her and my contributions are going (she links to many charities you can support) today.
Believe it or not, I never watch the news. I have not seen any video of the tragedy, just info from print sources. Thanks for the nudge: I’m going to donate to the Red Cross right now.
Like you, I have taken in all in via print. I do not have the capacity for live video. ( we don’t have television here). Thank you for the comment and momentum here.
I feel the same way, overwhelmed by the tragedy and scrambling to figure out how to help. I compiled a list of charities and posted on that including ones in which you can donate $10 by texting. It’s here: http://www.pragmaticmom.com/?p=17064
I am thankful that family, friends, and colleagues in Japan are ok.
Huge help- your list. Thank you for including the link here. I am relieved to hear of your family, friends and colleagues immediate well being. I can’t imagine the larger and far reaching toll on all of them.