And, I wish this could not be seen from any beach. But, this is what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico.
I guess I should be too old to become angry over things I cannot control, so I am looking for something in this oil spill mess for which I can be thankful. So far, I am sad to say I can at best be thankful that it has not affected my home yet. However, having grown up in a family who with a long heritage of ocean living I can almost — and I say “almost” — feel the pain and deep sadness, as well as the frustration the folks in the Gulf must be feeling.
I am by no means trying to be insensitive to anyone’s plight, but having been through a few of life’s less pleasant experiences I can honestly say that nothing annoys me more than to have someone say “I can feel your pain” or “I know what you are going through” or some other little statement that is well intended. You see, none of us can really feel the pain or truly experience the sadness and frustration of those who are enduring the horror in the Gulf any more than the person who said to me, “I know how you must feel” when my mother died. I realize I may be arguing symantics, but I can assure anyone who reads this now from the comfort of his own home or as I sit on the front porch of my beach home, looking at a rather pristine ocean, that I cannot feel the anxiety or distress those who live along the Gulf must be feeling.
Of course, as one who grew up spending days on fishing boats, sailing the inlets, and eating fresh seafood nightly in my family’s restaurant I can only begin to imagine — not the immediate environmental damage — but rather how my life would have been different had we not been able to fish for our dinner, fish that we caught during the day.
For those who live far inland, it is hard to imagine the change in lifestyle that is inevitable for those along the Gulf. Kids who live in the heart of our country often go to playgrounds for recreation. As beach kids, the Inland Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean were our playgrounds. For those who live in the central part of the country who rely on beef — grown on their farms — as a dinner staple, imagine having all the cattle taken off the menu. Imagine having everything you do everyday change because of a environmental tragedy that has no end in sight.
It may sound selfish — and it is, without a doubt — but I am thankful this is not my beach. And, I am as equally sorry for this catastrophe occurring along anyone’s shore. This is nothing short of a national tragedy, whether you live along one of the coasts or inland.
