Following Felix

Not too long ago, my mom made a comment in an email to friends and family regarding a recent disaster. The bridge collapse in Minnesota hit close to home. I grew up just outside The Cities. Someone made the innocent and common response of, "I'm so glad your family was okay." Mom was reflecting on the idea that if we truly are global in our thinking, that the unfortunate subtext of that comment is a lack of compassion for the families that are affected.

In recent years, no part of the world has been untouched by trauma--wars, genocide, tsunamis, terrorist attacks, collapses...the list goes on.

I was reminded of Mom's comment today as I read about Hurricane Felix. As of 11pm on Saturday, September 1, Felix is expected to hit "near or to the north of the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao Saturday night or early Sunday morning."

As I type this, Niels and I are in Vermont, where we just returned from the wedding of our friends, Sean and Jessica. Thirty four days ago, we celebrated our own wedding and left the next morning on our honeymoon to the Dutch Antillian island of Curacao. One of the reasons we chose this island (and there were many!) is that it is situated South of the Hurricane Belt. Sadly, the belt seems to be unbuckled this weekend.

Curacao is a stunning island, filled with history of world importance, with wonderful friendly people and a unique landscape that is both typically tropical as well as coral beach desert complete with cacti. We weren't long into our honeymoon when Niels and I started dreaming about a retirement home there.

Our prayers with our new friends in Curacao tonight.