Thanksgiving Tragedy

A horrific school bus crash occurred this Thanksgiving week in our area. As of this writing, five children have died and 23 were injured. Many people I know in this area are talking about this non-stop.

Just a few hours earlier, another horrific crash occurred. This time it was a train derailment. As of this writing, 146 people have died, and dozens of others were hurt, many critically. Many who were killed were a part of a wedding party. Many who were killed were children.

Hardly anyone in my area is talking about this crash, because it happened half-way around the world in India. Why is no one talking about it? Because only when it affects us does it matter to us.

Here are some other tragedies we face on Thanksgiving Day: 

Turkey not cooked perfectly? Tens of millions of people around the world will not even have a meal on Thanksgiving Day. It’s only one of your several meals that day.

Stuck in traffic? Only 8.5% of the world's population have an automobile. It's only a delay.

House too small for your Thanksgiving festivities? Over 100 million people in the world don't even have a house. It's only for one day.

Flight delayed? Almost 95% of the world's population has never flown. It's only an inconvenience.

Lines too long on Black Friday? The median income worldwide is $2,000 ($5.50/day. For most people it's under $2/day). It's only an iPhone.

Turkey too small to feed everyone? An estimated 75% of Americans are overweight. It's only another slice.

Although I grieve for the families of the school children here in the Chattanooga area, I also grieve for the Indian people and their families. Around the world or here at home, let’s make Thanksgiving about others, and not about ourselves.

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