Haiti Earthquake

Every time I hear the word "Haiti" my heart and stomach convulse. I have met Haitian people, all the ones I've met have been in the helping professions [nurse, psychologist, etct] and have been wonderful people. So to read about the dire poverty, as I have recently in the book about James Farmer's work there, has been very, very painful. Now the earthquake which killed so many thousands, and with relief work so very difficult, I am deeply sad and distressed. These natural disasters are utterly Hairheart breaking and, of course, affect those who have the least defenses against their horrors.

In my comfortable life I sometimes think about the Buddha's belief that life is suffering and think, I cannot really understand that. I am far from suffering. But then I read about things like the earthquake in Haiti and realize that suffering is so great is elipses my comfort and makes it meaningless.