Haiti and the Need to Appear Caring

It really bothers me that Haiti has been such a huge factor in the news for the last two weeks. People have seemed so caring and eager to help those in need. I really have to doubt, however, the sincerity of the populace's actions, as well as question the motives behind their interest in the situation.

The situation in Haiti (which you would be unfamiliar with only if you lived in a depp, dark cave somewhere in the northern province of Uzbekistan) has recieved only constant media attention. Coverage of aid and relief by mass media has bombarded the public. Everyone, from FOX News to Facebook, is hopping on the social justice bandwagon. Why? Because it's the right thing to do, and to not care abotu people hurting and dying and starving is morally reprehensible.

Wake up! When do we as Americans EVER give a damn about something other than the bottom line and the size of our pocketbooks? As cold-blooded capitalists, it's our duty to look out for number one and step on as many hungry, starving, dying people as it takes to satisfy our instiable need for profit, wealth and self-satisfaction. Why do we care so much about people who's lives have been destroyed by a natural disaster? After all, it's their fault for living in such an unprepared manner.

I heard a quote the other day that really hit a nerve. I hate to be a hypocrite, but I can't soundly attribute the quote or cite it directly. However, the essential message behind was, "It's depressing that it takes a tragedy like the one in Haiti to really wake people up around aiding and helping others." It seems really hypocritical to make this kind of comment at a time like this. You are saying that you think people should care more about aiding others, but you are only pointing it out when there's a crisis to be concerned about. The speaker in this case is just as pompous and arrogant as the rest of the populace for caring about a social justic cause only during a time of crisis. You're no better than everyone else you are criticizing.

It's depressing that people only notice about people caring (or not) for others only during a time of crisis.

It's depressing that no one stops to think about this.

Christmas Happenings

I know, I know, I'm ridiculously late posting this. Bad Robby, bad.

Christmas was actually pretty good for me this year. Usually I hate Christmas. H-A-T-E, hate. Everything is so commercialized- the advertising, the sales, the gift exchanges and returns. Everyone talks about 'the reason for the season', and justifies themselves by rading their Bible for 10 minutes Christmas morning, then diving into their material posessions like a greedy pack of starved hynenas.

But I digress.

My Christmas was actually not bad. I got a lot of useful presents this year- clothes and food. For a college student, getting free stuff like that is like hitting the jackpot at Morengo (which the guy next door actually did last semester. Still trying to get "my share" from him…). For the most part, it was an average, relaxing Christmas. It was what happened after Christmas that really shook me up.

My girlfriend of over a year broke up with me.

She told me over the phone on New Year's Day. According to her, "When we started dating, we needed each other. Now, we don't."

Talk about a punch to the stomach. I didn't know what to do. For the first couple of days after we rang in the new year, I was a miss. I missed her, obviously. But there was something constantly nagging at the back of my head: What did I do wrong? Could I have stopped this from happening?

Well, at that point there was nothing I could do. We had split, and that was that. I knew that I had to move on… and hey, I was single! Not that being single was really a high point. After spending almost fourteen months with someone, you tend to get a little attached to them. There was something about her smile, her laugh, her embrace that just… captivated me. Face it, I was lost. I wanted her back, and I would do anything to have another chance with her.

After a few weeks of talking things through and letting the dust settle, she came out to CBU. We went out to dinner and talked things over. We talked about the good parts of our relationship, the not-so-good parts, the parts we wanted back and the parts we wanted to fix. After four hours of laughs, tears and double-doubles, we decided that we wanted our relationship back- sort of. We are now back together, but we have dialed back nearly every aspect of our relationship. Physically, spiritually, emotionally- we are starting over.

And you know what? It feels great. God is a God of new beginnings. I know that he has given me a new beginning with my girlfriend, a new opportunity to care for her and love her. And I'm not going to mess things up again.