President's Letter from Antje

Ours is Not to Reason Why...

I was in Atlanta complaining about the freezing weather when I learned that an earthquake had demolished Haiti.  Where were you?  Where were you during The Tsunami of 2004?  The California fires of the last few years?  The California floods? The New Orleans floods and storms? Remember the terrible fires that demolished parts of Wyoming and Montana in the 90's?  The America and world changing 9/11/01?

Do you feel  helpless--other than praying or sending money or clothing?  Do you ever feel guilty that we live in such a bubble while others are reeling?  Think of Haiti...there was already such strife__and then this horror?  I often feel as though I should jump on a plane and make things better.  Unrealistic to say the least--not to mention that I'd probably get in the way and hamper any positive efforts.  But I feel as though I should do something. What I have learned is not to question why.  That there is a reason for everything--I just don't know the reason.  I learned while I was driving cross country after 9/11 from Vancouver to Atlanta that there is always beauty--and there is always hope.  As I drove through the wondrous mountains of Idaho there were two elderly ladies stuck by the side of the road.  Everyone passed them by--everyone that is but a couple of leather-vested, craggy faced, long bearded, tattooed to the hilt bikers.  They stopped for two women who were probably petrified and would have nailed their doors shut could they have done so.  The bikers were the ones who stopped and helped these ladies to send them safely on their way.  There is beauty in human nature.

The other thing I noticed is that in the burnt remainder of parts of Wyoming there were brave sprouts of green springing up and ready to re-create forests.  This little bit of green in scorched countryside after a devastating attack on our country reminded me that--there is always hope.  So here;s what I'm doing about things over which I have no control.  I pray, I send money--and I look at the beauty in each day, I remember to be grateful--and I remind myself that the only thing I'm really in charge of is me.

Happy Valentine's Day ladies!

Antje