In the news today
And in the mouth of every other person in Portugal.
An elderly lady and her grand daughter were killed by a falling tree.
A rather freakish accident.
Officials stepped forward claiming forest technicians and engineers attest the drought of previous years is to blame, but there was no way of predicting that tree was going to fall.
People in public transportations and restaurants today kept saying the owners of that forest strip and the government are to blame.
True enough this was a very sad event, true enough accidents happen.
But I couldn’t keep myself from thinking this is a way of mother nature letting us know we’re wrecking this planet. I couldn’t keep myself from thinking Man couldn’t care less if a tree falls… unless of course it falls over someone’s head.
Meanwhile, somewhere, there is a woman/man who lost both her/his daughter and her/his mother… I wonder if those looking for someone to blame and those trying to shun eventual responsibilities gave a second of their thoughts to that woman/man.
An elderly lady and her grand daughter were killed by a falling tree.
A rather freakish accident.
Officials stepped forward claiming forest technicians and engineers attest the drought of previous years is to blame, but there was no way of predicting that tree was going to fall.
People in public transportations and restaurants today kept saying the owners of that forest strip and the government are to blame.
True enough this was a very sad event, true enough accidents happen.
But I couldn’t keep myself from thinking this is a way of mother nature letting us know we’re wrecking this planet. I couldn’t keep myself from thinking Man couldn’t care less if a tree falls… unless of course it falls over someone’s head.
Meanwhile, somewhere, there is a woman/man who lost both her/his daughter and her/his mother… I wonder if those looking for someone to blame and those trying to shun eventual responsibilities gave a second of their thoughts to that woman/man.
posted by DCveR at 8:06 PM
9 Comments:
It was reported on today's NY news that a hiker who was squatting at a cliff to take a dump lost his balance and fell 20 feet into a creekbed below.
He is trying to sue the park service and NY State because "they should have known the cliff posed a danger to hikers."
there are such freakish accidents! completely unlogical and no explanation or rationalisation as to why it happens.
I've now survived two earthquakes, a volcano, two African coups d'état and a 500 gram tumour. I have come to the conclusion that if your number's up, your number's up. Unfortunately for the granny and the child, their number was up.
Mum once said something to me when a friend of mine died at meningitis at 6 years of age. She said, "you know, she had a very happy life, and never knew anything but love and laughter". And although I was sorry to lose her, that did cheer me up a bit.
Don't know whether it will be of any use to the child's family, though.
If a tree falls indeed.
Life is so unpredictable. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes these freakish events for us to take notice and realise how precious it is.
Or what about the idiots who were warned and warned and warned not to go beyond the barricades at Hawaii Volcanoes NP, then did, got too close to lava flows and scalding water, and are now suing the park system. Because of these types of incidents, they are considering reducing or eliminating access altogether to this special place--the only place in the world where you can 'drive up' (almost) to an active lava flow!!
On a side note, I am so glad you are back! We've missed you, all your great photos and your stories.
Now that you moved and GH is on her way back for good, life should be settling down soon...
Ahhh, now let me ditch work a little as I enlarge and relish each dc photo...
ONE MORE DAY!!!!!
phoenix: Of course he is suing te park. He should also start a class-case against gravity!
nyasha: Yup. But these days people always want someone's head on a plate to make them feel justice has been done.
Yes, one more day!!!!
marianne: Glad you've survived all that. Your work at ECHO, your blog, your comments on several blogs... they all show it would really be a loss if you were gone. Yet I don't really think we've got a certain "time" to go, I don't really believe in destiny. Our choices, chance and timing make our destiny if you ask me.
christine: Sorry... didn't mean to make you sad.
homo escapeons: Sometimes we need something scary to get things into perspective, so we can enjoy things but also to make us realize some of our problems aren't that important.
kris: Thanks. Some people have accidents out of their own stupidity, some people out of pure bad luck, there is no point in trying to find a culprit in neither case. I don't know, sometimes it seems people are suing for money or fame, sometimes it seems like a distorted sense of justice...
It's sad about the grandmother and the child...but those holler about who's to blame should have some consideration for the family that's grieving...does the family want people to go on and on about it?
*but those who holler*
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