Reading the News

I don't watch the news. I wasn't always like this, but after having children, my hubby and I decided we wanted to limit our boys' exposure to the media. When they were toddlers, we'd try to watch the evening news but the messages filtering into our boys' ears were unacceptable, so we turned it off. My oldest is nearly 12 years old, so it's been a while. And my youngest is 7 years old, so it will be a while longer still before we turn it back on.

Perhaps my skin has thinned because I'm no longer exposed to daily messages of bad news, but as I read a story on weather.com today, I was moved to sobbing tears. Perhaps it is the thought that the boys in the story could have been my boys.

If you're not aware, Queensland, Australia is 3/4 flooded and has been declared a disaster zone. The flooded area is as large as France AND Germany combined. I spoke to a dear author friend of mine in the area of Brisbane, and she said the people of Queensland could use our prayers.

In the article I read, a mom and two boys were trapped in flood waters in their car. When rescuers came for the boys and the mother, the 13-year-old boy told the rescuers to take his 10-year-old brother first. They managed to get the younger boy out, but then the flood waters washed the car away before the remaining boy and his mother could get out. His unselfish insistence saved his brother's life at the cost of his own.

I couldn't help thinking of my own three boys and imagining one of them making the decision to put his brother's life first. And I cried.

To read the article about Australia's flooding on weather.com, click here.

Snow!

Big, white, fluffy flakes
Floating down from the grey sky
Wish I could stay home

My haiku for the day.
This is why I write prose, instead of verse.

Feel free to share your haiku for the day!

Today, a writer?

Today, I'm blogging over at Grand Rapids Region Writers Group about wearing the many hats of me.

Come check out how I balance sick kids and writing...and see what some of the other talented writers have to say on their blog days.