Earthquake in Java

The news out of my future home has not been too encouraging lately. The island of Java suffered a serious earthquake which has killed at least 4000 people so far. Many others wounded and displaced. The island is densely populated and so natural disasters like earthquakes (which happen in Indonesia nearly as often as they happen in Japan) are especially deadly. That, and the fact that it will take longer for aid workers to reach these locations than it would for help to find many other places in the world. All of this should be daunting, I suppose, but it just isn't. I don't know why.

When I was very young I was very seriously afraid of travelling to San Francisco. I knew that scientists were certain that a quake would destroy the city some day soon. As an adult I did go to San Francisco, and noted a US map that hung in a little shop near Haight/Ashbury. It was a map of what America would look like without California. The inevitiable disaster is anticipated with gallows humor.

I'm not nearly so cynical, although I did like the map and, in retrospect, should have bought it. If things like this happen in Sumatra, I will do what I can to help.

There's a truly wonderful song called 'days' by the Kinks in which Mr. Davies sings, "now I'm not frightened of this world, believe me.' That's my song these days. It's a good song to have as one's song.