"I Must Live in a Bubble"

Am I the only person in the world who did not hear about the incredible tragedy that took place last month in my adopted city of Hermosillo. Certainly I'm the only person in Mexico who hasn't. In case you are one of the few others that keeps thier head in the sand, the issue I refer to is the fire in a day care that killed 48 childern aged 6 months to 5 years.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/07/09/mexico.daycare/index.html

There are rumours that the owners of the facility are hiding somewhere in Canada.

I think it's a more significant story than just about any other mass deaths you hear about resulting from things like terrorist acts or war deaths because of the indisputable innocence of the victims. What incredible, indescribable pain it must be for the families. I want to go home!

I'm just sitting in my hotel room watching the sunset and trying to put it all in perspective. Although the blame game goes on it will probably never catch up to those who were really negligent, and for that matter who is really responsible anyway? One courageous parent apparently stated publicly that he had no one to blame but himself as he regularly brought his child there and never once considered the safety of the place. I suggest to you that there was no one who knowingly considered the possibility of the event as it happened and didn't do anything about it.

Could this happen in Canada? Not likely, just because of the legislation governing the physical considerations of such facilities but also because of rules regarding things like the ratio of caregivers to children. From what I read there were 6 adults responsible for almost 150 kids. It seems insufficient during the best of times let alone in a crisis. But I know these things are a factor of our respective societies and I make no judgement. The average Mexican parent could not afford the cost of child care in Canada.

And so I am once again reminded of my blessings and will try to go to sleep tonite counting them. All of my childern and my grandchildern are safe and warm this night and what more can a person ask for. I guarantee you that any one of those grieving parents would give up all of their worldly possessions, and the job that necessitated their children going to day care in the first place, to be able to have them back....as would I in their situation.

When I get home I'm gonna ask permission to have some Grampa/Colby time just to invest into what he wants to do. Maybe build a serious sand castle or something. This stupid Ironman thing can wait another day!

So tonite I ask you out there, get up now and find a child, yours or anyone else's and just give them a hug. Don't let the sun go down without doing so.




I wish to dedicate day 295 to the memory of Bryan Alejandro Mendez a victim of the fire and the child of one of our employees.

"To love one child and to love all children, whether living or dead /somewhere these two loves come together."---Marguerite Duras

love
peter