Comments on: Luck, pure and simple

By: Uncomfortable at Magpie Days

Uncomfortable at Magpie Days — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:00:22 +0000

[...] I occupy by the luck of birth and the coincidence of marriage – colors everything. I’ve written of this before. I do not mean to suggest that people are locked beyond all hope in certain circumstances; of [...]

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:40:11 +0000

Boychen is doing okay. He is so happy to be home and to have the stupid IV needle out of his hand. He even smiled.

More than guilt and lucky, I can’t get over the absurdity of it, that in 2009 nearly 5000 children die every day from persistent diarrhea. It’s absurd. I can accept that life is unfair. That this child has that illness and that one doesn’t. That somebody is born with a heart defect and somebody else isn’t. I can accept that. It’s unfair but it’s random, it’s biology, it’s genetics, it’s mystery. It’s unfair. It’s life. But some things are systemically un-just. Nearly 5,000 children will die today not because life is unfair but because the world is unjust.

I’m expressing myself very badly. I’m tired, and emotional, and saying this all so much more poorly than the words in my head. It’s not the luck part, it’s the injustice part that I can’t get around.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:09:52 +0000

I’ve got tears in my eyes now as well! What a beautiful post and a beautiful reminder of how lucky we are!

I hope Boychen feels much better and is back home very soon!!!!!

((hugs!))

By: Global Librarian

Global Librarian — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:27:39 +0000

And that is why GLH and I donate 10% of our income. It’s a small enough thing to do and helps to control the White Privilege Guilt…

By: kristen

kristen — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:27:57 +0000

I’m with Nadine…crying, yes, for all the sick children tonight (and there are so many, seems every blog friend I visit this evening is worrying over a very sick child.)

Beautiful post, beautifully written. Sending hugs and get well wishes.

By: Nadine

Nadine — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:07:17 +0000

Well, my eyes are most definitely still producing tears after reading this.

By: Trish

Trish — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:40:18 +0000

I feel very lucky also to live in a country where the medical care is excellent and nearby and available. It’s not fair that not everyone can have what we have.

I hope he’s feeling much better very soon.

By: J

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:21:46 +0000

I totally understand what you mean.

Between the medical problems I had last year and others I am currently having treated, the crappy weather here doesn’t seem so bad.

Don’t worry, though, after it’s all over I’ll be back to my whiney old self.

By: Bethany

Bethany — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:02:10 +0000

I know what you mean. I know so very much what you mean. And luck or not, I’m glad you live in a place where dehydration doesn’t mean life or death and where you can get some worry-free rest. Hugs to your sweet boy.