A to Z Blogging Challenge

D is for Danger

Sally

Rabbit from A Boy Who Wants a Dinosaur by Hiawyn Oram and Satoshi Kitamura
Train tracks from Catch Me, Catch Me! A Thomas the Tank Engine Story illustrated by Owain Bell
Lego guy from Lego City: Snow Chase — Scholastic Books
Extraneous bushes from ??

Ways to deal with danger (note — not all these are optimal):

  • See it. Recognize it.
  • Be immobilized by fear/horror.
  • Yell for help.
  • Be the help.

Things to do in the wake of tragedy (note — not all these are optimal):

  • Nothing.
  • Weep.
  • Clean up.
  • Prepare against further tragedy.
  • Push back with good.

Yesterday my Facebook news feed held horrific images from Syria.

I don’t do well with horrific images.

In fact, I turned off the television for years after seeing bodies floating in the Kigali River during the Rwandan genocide.

Mary was asking me about my memories of the Vietnam War era the other day. I told her that Time Magazine had images that I can’t erase from my mind.

I never watched Schindler’s List because I knew I couldn’t handle the violence of it. Someone told me that you get sort of used to seeing a Nazi pull out a gun and shoot someone in the head. I never want to get used to that.

At the same time, I don’t to be unaware, sticking my head in the sand. I read the news avidly.

I want to push back against the darkness in the world. How can I do that?

At the very least, I can champion for good with my words.

Published by Sally

9 thoughts on “D is for Danger”

  1. I think most people are horrified by the images brought to us by television and social media. It’s a fine balance- being kept informed without being overwhelmed.

    Catch Me, Catch Me was a favorite of both of my boys when they were young and our original copy has been taped together because it was read to pieces. 🙂

    1. My boys loved that book, too! In fact, the copy I’m using for collages is our worn-out falling-apart copy. My youngest boy is now 20, so I didn’t think anyone would mind.

  3. I resonate with this. It’s so hard. You want to be connected and want to spread good, but you can’t spread the good without being aware of the bad and awareness and activism are hard. I don’t have n answer for you, I hope to figure it out one day though as i’m sure you will. But never stop writing, I think writing keeps you strong.

    1. I agree with you. Awareness and activism ARE very hard — but writing really does keep you strong.

      Thanks for commenting.

  4. Nicely done!

    I think I’ve given up on television news, especially in the last few months. Newspapers offer a certain distance, but even photography can be overwhelming.

    Your mention of Schindler’s List brought back some memories. It’s a film you can really only see once. I read a book a year or so ago by a young woman who was the granddaughter of the real Nazi commandant of that film. She was a biracial woman, adopted as a child by the family who raised her, and the book tells the story of her learning about her biological family’s secrets and struggling to come to terms with it.

  5. I agree with the previous post, Schindler’s List is a movie you can only watch once. I’m glad I saw it but could never watch it again. We went to the Newseum in Washington DC a few years ago and they had an exhibit of amazing photos from war ravaged regions and pictures depicting other disasters. They were fascinating and difficult to see at the same time. The exhibit talked about photojournalism and the ethical dilemmas often encountered. I think the conversation is even more complicated given our 24/7 news cycle. It’s too much.WeekendsInMaine

  6. I can’t deal with horrid images either. I get sick, I get nightmares depending on how awful it is, I get sympathy pains. *shudder*

    Yes, it’s good to try to be a force for good in this world. 🙂

    My “theme” – A Thirty-Word Story, revealing one word of the story each day of the challenge.
    #AtoZChallenge The Letter D

Comments are closed.