I want to tell about our literary meeting last night. I may have told some of you about how I got "guilted" into joining this group by a somewhat cantankerous 80+ year old lady. Then promptly got installed as the program chairman and it has progressed from there. Last night was the 3rd meeting of the year and the woman who was supposed to present had waffled about doing it and I was sure she would back out at the last minute. I was wrong. (See I CAN say that!) She and her son presented the story of Immaculee Ilibagiza a survivor of the Rwanda massacre in 1994. She lost her entire family and hid in a bathroom, not able to speak, or make any kind of noise with 6 other women for three months.I almost didn’t go to the meeting because Dorothy, the 80+ yr. old, wasn’t going to go and I had the start of a headache, and I had been gone the night before for another meeting and have one tonight as well…. But, wnet anyway… They did such a great job presenting the book and as they spoke and shared her story I felt more and more humbled by the smallness of my small trials and the enormity of her courage, and faith. It was difficult to hear some of the things she experienced and what went on there while I was completely unaware at the time, it reminded me of seeing the movie Hotel Rwanda and the emotions I felt then. By the end of the presentation I felt chastened and a renewed desire to express my gratitude for the MANY, MANY blessings and privileges I have living in a free country with so many opportunities and chances to grow and learn. The book is called “Left to Tell “and I will be reading it to get the “rest of the story” as ole Paul Harvey would say.
So, today I am grateful for the freedoms and liberties I enjoy on a daily basis, for those who have gone before and sacrificed to provide those freedoms, and for those who continue to lay down their lives that I and others might enjoy that freedom.
I am grateful for sufficient food, clothing and shelter. For my living family and the many luxuries we enjoy. I am blessed.
2 comments:
It's easy to live in America and be oblivious to all the horrible things that occur in this world. We really have it good here, yet we often find ourselves whining and moaning about trite issues. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way we come to realize how great our lives are is through comparison. I don't know if any of that made any sense.
I was completely blown away by Hotel Rwanda. I never knew all that was going on. Tucker watched it one time when he was babysitting and couldn't stop talkin about it for days, wondering why we didn't do anything. I have put the book on hold at the library. Always looking for good books. I also recently read My Sisters Keeper and the Memory Keepers Daughter which you recommended. Great books!
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