Its late at night. I have spent the last few days focused on the christchurch earthquake.
I think its finally starting to sink in. I found myself just sitting here numb after watching hours of tv and video.
I finally lost it when i did the previous diary on the young baby that was killed.
I cannot imagine the pain and suffering that is going on over there in my home country.
Although I was born and raised on Greymouth which is on the other side of the Island, I spent a lot of time in Christchurch... i remember walking around the town center a lot of times... and now its been destroyed.
I can't believe it.
145 people are dead so far. I know that compared to the Haiti Quake it doesn't seem much, and the Haiti Quake was a disaster of Epic proprortions which has nowhere near been adaquetly addressed.... its more personal here. I have walked these streets.. I have been in these buildings... I probably have passed some of the lost ones on the street.
My sister used to live there and so I spent a lot of time there growing up. I took my son Carlos there five years ago... we sailed down the Aavon river, which is now having sewage pumped into it because the sewage system is munted. We went into the square. I have a photo of Carlos standing not far from the Cathedral where 22 people may have been killed.
That feeling that we all have, it could never happen here or to someone we know... well thats gone for me now.
It can happen. It DID happen.
My mother's Aunt had to be air lifted to Auckland Hospital from Christchuch because she needs kidney dialysis.
One thing is for sure... don't take your life or the lives of your loved ones for granted. Tell them each and every day that you love them. You truely don't know which day will be your last or the last of someone you love. Life is precious but finite,
I don't remember who said it, but they said We don't get out of life alive.
It is hitting me hard now how true that is.
I love all of you.
Updated by GlowNZ at Sat Feb 26, 2011, 02:43:07 AM
Im normally pretty tough when it comes to these sorts of things. I usually cope with this stuff pretty good. Or maybe I just hid it better than I am now.
Anyway, this was posted more so I could get what I feel inside out.
Updated by GlowNZ at Sat Feb 26, 2011, 02:56:31 AM
There is a photo that I can't get out of my head. I refused to post it in any of my diaries. It was of a man in his 50's... he was dying... and holding his wife's hand.
He died right after the photo was taken.
Just heartbreaking
Updated by GlowNZ at Sat Feb 26, 2011, 03:17:09 AM
what keeps going around in my head... is how could this be happening... I mean they had a bigger quake back in september that killed NOONE. Logically I know that it was a shallower quake but my heart doesn't get it somehow.. there a disconnect between my brain and my heart.