The world celebrated
the rescue of 12
Thai soccer boys from a
flooded cave in Mae Sai,
Thailand. We grieved
over the loss of one brave
man, Saman Kunam who
sacrificed his life to deliver
supplies to the trapped
boys. Many of us watched
the media reports fearfully,
prayed and hoped for a
miracle.
The deliverance
of all twelve young boys
at the hands of skilled
divers was something we
jointly cheered about.
Reports have indicated
that time was running out
for them. More flooding
was coming; oxygen and
food were in dismal supply.
Yet, reports are that
ten Thousand people participated
in the rescue
effort, including 2,000 soldiers,
200 divers and representatives
from 100 government
agencies.
We don't want
scenarios like what happened
in Thailand to ever
occur. Such a scenario was
a global nightmare but
was something that no
political group, religious
entity or anyone would
surely debate. Everything
possible would be done to
save those young Thai
boys.
Yet every day on
this planet there are desperate
plights playing out
around the globe. Young
children in Syria still live
lives of daily desperation.
Families in Iraq and
Afghanistan do not face a
day without the fear of
who may invade their
homes to rape, pilfer and
murder their families.
There are a lot of problems
around the world.
Hunger, clean water
shortages, medical care
availability and violence
exist to some degree
almost everywhere it
seems.
We have all the
above and more in
America. Employment is
better, the stock market is
up and the military is
stronger than it has been
in a long time, yet with all
we have going for us how
many people emotionally
feel like they are in a
watery cave and their
time is running out?
Throughout our
country people still struggle
with healthcare.
Insurance companies continue
to call the shots on
procedures and treatments.
Doctors order
what they feel like the
insurance company will
agree to or pay for. Is this
always in the best interest
of the patient or is it
always in the best interest
of the insurance company?
How many American
are on the verge of drowning
from inadequate medical
care and are also up to
their necks in debt from
medical costs? Surely this
is a call for national concern,
prayer but more
than anything it's a
tremendous alarm for us
to continue to work
together to do something.
The recent shooting
in Annapolis,
Maryland reminded us
again that we have a violence
issue, mental issues
and gun availability
issues in this nation.
Everybody should not
have a gun in America.
Do we not feel like we
have all died again every
time there is a school or
random community
shooting? We have to quit
arguing about "your gun"
and "my gun" and work
together to fix all of this
and it's a lot to fix.
Of course, we still
have rampant poverty in
America. We have too
many communities who
are afraid to drink their
water. Kids are still bullied
at school. Nursing
homes are still nightmares
emotionally and financially
and there is always
another hurricane, tornado,
flood or fire just
around the corner.
There is so much
about our everyday world
that strains us and keeps
us fighting for survival.
Maybe we can all learn
something from the
divers and many people
from all over the world
who came together to rescue
those young men
from a watery grave. If we
don't fight each other and
work together for solutions
we might solve more
of our problems that are
about to end our existence.
Dr. Glenn Mollette
is the author of 12 books. His
syndicated column is read in
all 50 states. |