A few weeks ago I sent a note to a friend who lives in Mumbai. Here’s an excerpt from her reponse:
I arrived on the night of the 27th in Mumbai from NY (the attacks ended on Nov. 29). I wasn’t sure whether to take the flight back home— not knowing if the chaos had spread all over the city or not. My family is ok— but some dear friends and acquaintances we knew died in this horrific siege. These hotels and restaurants are ones I frequent and it could have very well been me on a given day. There is public outrage and anger towards the politicians and the government.
People want to see some concrete action and change from the way things are conducted here. I don’t think this time around life will be the same— it has struck a deep cord.
In America, each day we look at television news and see examples of innocent people slaughtered by terrorist attacks, ethnic wars and despotic regimes. As far as our own Middle East conflict is concerned, we view the loss of our valiant young service men and women sympathetically and then we go on with our lives—detached from the rampant gunfire halfway around the globe.
In the United States we have enjoyed uninterrupted safety since the 9/11 catastrophe. And for now we enjoy relative security in our shopping centers, our public transportation, our houses of worship and our school buildings. That could change in a split second.
Our holiday season started with Thanksgiving, a time to be thankful that the direst situations in America pale compared with the trials most face around the globe. Genocide and starvation are not part of the American way of life.
As we approach the winter holidays and the New Year we shift from a time of thanks to a time of giving. Considering the economic and foreign policy challenges we face, it’s easy to take for granted or even ignore the gifts we enjoy on a daily basis – that of safety, freedom and opportunity.
Generosity can take many forms. It is not just an expensive gift exquisitely wrapped. It may only be a token, but it can have enormous consequences for the recipient.
In our community we have over 50 non-profit organizations all working with dedicated volunteers to make the valley an incredible place to live. It is the time of year to show our appreciation and support the organizations and the people who make our daily lives better, in whatever ways we can afford to do so. We may also want to extend our gifts to places around the world where hunger, disease or terrorism are making normal life all but impossible.
