Looking at the scenes of devastation from Oklahoma on the news this morning made me feel uneasy, especially when one astute commentator pointed out the danger of other people's misery turning into some kind of entertainment for those of us viewing from comfortable, safe surroundings. And, of course, these days there's plenty of misery available to any viewer with just a click or two.
I'm hopeful though. I think there's a fair chance our awareness of others' misfortunes makes us more human, or, rather, humane. The test I suppose is in how we respond. And there's a term that seems to have entered common usage to describe those who hurry in to a disaster area immediately to render some kind of assistance, sometimes at real risk to themselves: first responders. It seems there were lots of these in Oklahoma. Good.
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