Until it happens to you...

  [For the most part] Society tends to have some sort of empathy when one is affected with tragedy of unfortunate circumstances. The constant urge to keep up with the news to see how one’s city is coping or recovering from a natural disaster gets the mere feeling of “that’s so sad” yet the world continues on because it doesn’t pertain to them. Wild fires, hurricanes, malnutrition, orphanage, cancer, death, murders, and the list goes on. From a far, we can all feel the pain and can’t imagine how people are feeling but seeing things for yourself puts a different spin on it. With that said, a personal experience changes your entire outlook. I must admit when Katrina hit, I watched the news and just felt so sorry for the people. I checked on my friends that lived in the area and once I knew they were okay, I was okay. But what about the masses that lost everything. Why was I okay because no one I knew personally had been destroyed? Again, it didn’t pertain to me. It became a fictional story with detachment because I didn’t physically see the damage or remains in person. The same thing goes for orphanages, homelessness, or starving people. If you don’t see them, do they matter to you? If the area you live in doesn’t display this reality, do you even realize they exist? Do you think about how it feels to try and find your next meal? Do you blame them for making a wrong decision that caused them to get there ? Perhaps that wasn’t the case. Not everyone gets what they deserve and I mean that from a two sided perspective. Grace and Mercy. Do you know what if feels like to enter M D Anderson for cancer treatment or diagnoses for yourself or a loved one? Entering halls of a cold, solemn  building infested with individuals at different phases of their illness. What about seeing innocent kids battle sickness with zero understanding of the cause  and fear the idea of death? Sitting in waiting rooms with families who are cheerful because they got a treatable diagnosis while in the same room family members hold back tears not knowing what this means for their family. The fact that Houston has one of the most phenomenal medical centers in the country to try and save lives battling cancer yet if you never have to visit it, that reality sits in an unopened file in your brain. Does that not concern you? Nope, unaffected, can’t relate, remember ? I encourage you to step out of your world, don’t make everything about you. Bishop TD Jakes discussed losing one of his parents and he said people felt sorry for him yet he in turn felt sorry for them because they had no idea what that pain felt like. I said that to say this, help or support others even when they aren’t family or friends. I encourage you to do so if you haven’t experienced any real trial, you never know when you will be on the receiving end. We can sympathize and empathize with people, but you REALLY never know how it feels, until it happens to you.