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I sit here with a stack of newspaper articles in front of
me. There is a program on CNN, and I am sure that if I turn on
the radio, I will hear the same story - the story of the suffering
in Kosovo.
If we listen closely, we can all learn something from this
tragedy. Life is precious. Just ask one of the million or more
refugees who were forced out of their homes, out of their country;
away from their families.
Have you ever sat down to think how incredibly lucky we are
to be living in Canada? Have you ever taken a moment to consider
that everything we have can end in a heartbeat?
I am looking at an article with a three-year-old little boy
in the picture. He is crying. We are told that he has been separated
from his family and is now being looked after by a distant relative.
Imagine how scared and lonely we would feel in his position.
Imagine how scared and lonely that little boy feels right now.
Many people hate the thought of Slobodan Milosevic being compared
to Hitler, arguing that Milosevic is not a threat to world peace.
Others do not like to use the word atrocity when speaking of
suffering in Kosovo because they say that ‘atrocity' is
too harsh a word. The fact is that this is genocide. "It
is the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political,
or cultural group." And it isn't healthy, and it isn't fair,
and you cannot say "well... that's life!" because it
shouldn't have to be.
If you listen to the discussion on the Kosovo crisis long
enough, it can be mind boggling. So we turn down our television
sets and we put away our newspapers. It's a privilege that no
one even considers a privilege. So, the next time you turn off
your television to the crying or suffering of a refugee remind
yourself how lucky you are for being able to turn it off and
walk out your front door. Remind yourself that no matter how
bad things seem in your life there is always someone much worse
off, and caring about strangers does make a difference! |
