That can only happen in the movies...right?

I can't help but to feel saddened by the tsunami tragedy in Asia. In fact, I don't think something has touched me more since 9/11. When I see the pictures of all the grieving people holding and the pictures of all the dead, it just makes me want to cry. Then it brings me back to earth, knowing that a tragedy like that can and did happen. It really makes you stop and think about your own life and the lives of your friends and family. It is something you just don't expect to happen, except in movies. I had to call my friend Alicia to make sure her brothers, who are living in Thailand, were ok, which they were. Thank goodness they are living inland! All those thousands of people gone....just like that. Within minutes, a whole population, vanished from the face of the earth. They say the total death toll can reach up to 100,00. That is almost half of the population of this city. I know death happens all the time around the world, but my gosh....it is hard to picture that many people dead. But then, all you have to do is look on the internet at the pictures of the bodies of those poor people, and all of those children. Oh my gosh....all of those poor children! But there were some miracles. I read that a 20-day old baby was found alive, floating on a raft or something. It is hard to believe that something so small and defenselss could survive the massive wall of water that claimed so many lives. To be honest, it makes me sort of happy I live here in Bakersfield, which is far from the ocean. I am happy that my friend's brothers are ok...and I pray for all of those poor souls who lost their lives and also for the survivors who lost many of their friends and family. I don't know what kind of good can come out of a tragedy like that, but hopefully, there will be some sort of silver lining to that cloud, for it is a dark cloud indeed.