My little brother passed away last May, something I’m still dealing with, and thinking about his tragic death, the opportunities he lost, the friend I lost — and knowing that these families are going through similar pain, breaks my heart.
I heard about the earthquake in India about the same time I heard about the crash. And yes, it can be easier to be dispassionate about something that happens so far away. But on Monday I was walking past the Student Union and a crowd of Indian students was huddled around a table asking people for donations to help the victims who have survived.
Immediately when I saw their group I knew who they were, what they were doing and I realized that even when tragedy occurs halfway across the world — it does affect me. It affects my Indian friends, teachers and co-workers. So I detoured from my goal of getting to class on time to put the dollar and change that I had in their box.
They were so sweet. They had an assortment of cookies and snacks for those who donated. I was humbled — maybe a bit humiliated that they felt they had to give me something in return for my gift.
The loss of life is tragic. It is painful. It is something that is common to the human condition. We talk about diversity and how our differences compliment each other, etc.
This is one thing we have in common with every person on earth. We all feel pain and sorrow when we lose someone we love.
So even though you may not have known the victims of the crash or of the earthquake in India, let your heart go out to the families and friends of those who have died.
These people and their friends and family are part of the OSU family and I’m sure we all could discover links that we have to them.
The most basic link we have is our common humanity.
That alone should move us with compassion and cause us to extend our sympathy and support to our fellow man.
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