The Zen of Ben

I think I have reached maximum saturation point with the bad news on TV about the flood. It's like the 24 hour news channels are trying to compete with each other for the worst and most dramatic footage possible knowing they can hit that knee-jerk reaction we all have where we know it's bad, but we just can't stop looking. It's the car wreck reflex and I am sick of giving in to it. If I can't be there to help pull those people to safety in New Orleans, then what's the point of me watching helpless person after person living through a hell that no living creature ever deserves to have to go through.

About the time I turned off the news today and started listening to some music, a knock on the door came and it was MC with little Ben in his green frog outfit. He showed us that he can now, at 10 weeks, smile, laugh and coo.

Amazing! My spirits are lifted and I know the world is still a good place and I know that giving caring people will eventually get to all of those people hurting down south of us. This morning I got an e-mail from a neighbor about hundreds of evacuees staying here at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center (our little version of the Astrodome). The neighbor was asking for donations of food and supplies and by the end of today, they had more food than they needed as well as games and basketball goals for the kids and some sense of peace tonight in their makeshift home in Birmingham. I know all of us will make them feel as welcome as we can and the outpouring of local and national support is really something amazing.

I feel like I have to hold on the the stories of hope coming through this tragedy and my own personal little rays of sunshine like Baby B smiling for the first time at his Aunt B.

That alone makes it an important day.



Comments

angela said…
I know I've mentioned this before...but I want to eat him. He is adorable. And you are such a good Aunt B.
8:04 PM
Brooks Brown said…
Thanks Wadsworth. This Aunt B is going to figure a way to meet her tiny niece this fall. I will be in touch about that. I know what you mean about Ben. Today I was kissing his fat cheeks and he was smiling and laughing. It is so fascinating watching him discover the world around him. I know you know what I mean.
8:46 PM
angela said…
I know you know I know what you mean. I can't wait to see a Brown in my town. I have ants in my pants just thinking about it.
10:30 PM
Jamie said…
Babies are magical like that. I was 7 months pregnant on 9/11 adn had my first childbirthing class that night. All my worries and mixed emotions were healed when I held my Addie. It's still the case on any bad day, any heartache, big or small--a moment or two totally focused on my girls is like a magic band aid. I suppose pets can do the same. It makes a super-cheezy song go thru my head: the Huey Lewis song, Power of Love, yall. And yay Birmingham for doing something.
11:47 PM
Brooks Brown said…
I don't care its having a cat rub his face on mine, my dog leaning on me or seeing a baby smile, there are reasons God put those creatures on the earth -- to love us and for us to love them. Without them, the bad could easily overwhelm us. The comfort that animals and children provide is priceless. I have always felt that way.

NPR did a feature this morning on the one of the evacuee shelters in Louisiana and they interviewed a 12-year-old boy that said he was thrilled to be staying at place with so many other kids with games and a basketball goal. It was like he was at summer camp. I know kids don't know the big picture, but why should they? They have their whole adult lives to deal with that reality. Leave it to a kid to invent something fun and productive out of what we adults see as sheer misery. What I love about kids at this age is that they don't see it like that -- it's all about the moment and I think that is really great state of mind.
1:03 AM
mojoala said…
Yes, I believe you are right, it does seem to be a competition now.

Caption for the picture:

"As I am grinning because you think it is because you just tickled me, NOT! I am laughing because you are about to be subjected to a silent but deadly release of methane!"

Just could not resist!

lol
7:59 AM
Jamie said…
Brooks: Your comment reminded me of the movie, Life is Beautiful. A lot of people thought that movie was assinine because it made a joke of the holocaust, but DUH---it was so awesome how the father made the concentration camp a game for the boy BECAUSE HE WAS LIKE 6 YEARS OLD and what 6 year old needs to know he and everyone around him was about to die at the hands of a lunatic? Dr. Phil tells parents "Don't make a child deal with adult problems," and I think that's just what those shelters are doing for the kids--letting them be kids, at least to some small degree.
9:22 AM
Brooks Brown said…
Mojo not methane, but maybe another deadly form of gas. this tiny kid can toot!

JamieAlthough I'm not a big fan of Dr. Phil, that is a true statement. I hate seeing kids getting burdened with adult issues. Childhood is so short. It should be enjoyed. I haven't seen "Life is Beautiful" but now I really want to.
11:27 PM
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