Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!
The ongoing feeling of pending doom silenced when I read the seismologic entrees that night.
There have been a lot of earthquakes near Sumatra.
The first one first was registered as 8.2 on the scale of Richter, but later was adjusted to 8.9.
It was to the west of the top of Sumatra.
Only 4 or 5 quakes since 1900 have been stronger.
Another one followed right at the top of Sumatra. (7.2).
I waited for a phonecall, searched the internet for news. Only reports of people leaving their houses, some collapsed houses and no serious injuries reprted yet.
I couldn't believe it.. but on the other hand.. the area was in the ocean. So many earthquares there pass with only seismologic evidence.
"But the consequences must be devastating" I thought, before I went to bed.
When I woke up some hours later I heard about the tsunamis.
The worry about people shadowed all day.
I'd planned to get the last wishes out today, but I was too bussy with friends who were eager to know about their family on indonesia, that I completely forgot.
The short time I was online I felt like a chicken without a head, as we say here. Absolutely unconcentrated.
And it even turned out that not all christmasmail of the last week had reached its destination because of some stupid connectionproblem, so I had to resend.
In case you haven't got it, please ask.
The children expected snow, but there was none. It was cold.
They played with lego, the barbies and other things, had their games on the computer, listened music.
Jim made the second christmasdinner and completely spoiled the meat. It was nothing special, but yet....
So I ended up eating bread, because the subsitute meal was not OK for diabetics. Well, I was lucky to have a meal.
Made a memorialpage with part of the christmasset of Elizabeth.
The grey items had such a serenity...
While I was writing and checked the figures I saw them rise and rise.
Oh, so many lives are lost...so many......
Outside here, there was fog hanging between the streetlanterns. A nice christmaspicture.
An hour later the full moon came through and I stood outside, wishing all those souls that are passing a good place to come to rest.
Nature is hard, firm and forcefull.
It gives and takes whenever and whatever it wants.
We are only guests in this world, nothing more..
I wrote a christmasspecial in Dutch last week about Mary and Joseph asking for a place to sleep at the inn.
I linked it to the unwelcoming attitude of many countries, where asylumseekers and fugitives aren't welcomed the way they should.
It felt like nature backed up my plee for more care and compassion.
Again the poor people are hurt and again they are dependent on us for a place to stay and something to eat.
But strangely enough in many countries the disaster were at least 25.000 people are killed is not mentioned in the news. Or only shortly, like it's at a distant place.
Well, Jesus was born at a distant place, and we remember him each year.
So why not care for those that are left with only the clothes they wear and nothing, nothing else????
I tried to make a memorial graphic, but ended up with something crap. Only at times I end up
with something nice.
And I didn't want to make a bear or something.
Managed to watch Holby/Casualty. That is, I walked away ever so often. But at last I saw the explosion and then it ended with: "And so it is Christmas, I hope you have fun", and that really did it!!!
It made me so angry to have no consideration with people that have lost their beloved ones in situations like that.
I'm OK with drama on tv, and I'm OK with Christmassongs.
But that song at that moment....
Well, lucky BBC I couldn't log in.......
So these Christmasdays have been strange.
Here the christmastime goes on, whereas in other countries it's ended.
So moving around on internet I even feel a stranger.
Like walking past closed doors.
I've tried to find a new years set, but they have been lost during the computercrash.
so it's about what's still on the site and what I found again in my memberships.
Who cares??
Near Sumatra there have been more than 60 quakes of 5.0 to 7.0 on the Richter Scale.
The earth still hasn't found rest, and the tsunami risk is still there.
People have no shelter for the night. No clothes to warm them.
I can't help them from here.......
A baby was born to help the world... to help us all to make a better place.
It's time he returned to make clear that this world has to change for the better.
But maybe he has returned in each and every victim of the distaster.
Maybe the message is already there................
