When tragedy strikes we ask ‘why?’
While my sister and brother-inlaw’s grass fire was getting under control in Central Hawkes Bay, thanking God and our lucky stars, that the fire seemed to circumnavigate their house and woolshed.
Fire had engulfed over 180 hectares (445 acres) of their farm between Friday, February 10 to Sunday, February 12.
Little did anyone realise the imminent fire storm about to ignite a few kilometres away in Wairmarama and then the devastation in the Port Hills of Christchurch. In fact these are only three of the grass fires that have spread across New Zealand.
Fortunately my sister and family did not lose any property or stock.
Their fire seemed small in comparison to the property damage of Wairmarama, and the massive destruction on the Port Hills and the loss of life of Steve Askin.
I met Steve once, and it was a privilege to meet a man who served his country and died trying to save the lives and property of his fellow Cantabrians.
My deep aroha goes out to his whanau as they grapple with this tragic loss.
Why do these things happen? Why do some suffer great loss, and others don’t? How do we make sense of these things?
Like my sister and her family, we were spared. Yet others have lost property, or worse a loved one. Why?
To be honest I don’t know, but somewhere in the midst of it all I wonder if there is some kind of heavenly plan for humanity.
We don’t know when tragedy will hit, and why our possessions or livelihood might get lost, or why some of us survive and others don’t. I was taught that good comes out of tragedy and I can testify to that at different times of my life.
I find that when I amspared of a potential calamity it causes me to reflect on what I have yet to do in this life. I know, in time, my sister and her family with be doing this, as will countless others this summer as they are thankful for their lives after the tragedies of fire.
Knowing the whanau of Steve Askin, I know they will reflect on life as part of their grieving, and my personal prayer for them is that they will see a heavenly miracle emerge that will answer, for them, the why question.
But here’s the thing, we don’t have to wait for calamity to strike. We can stop now, reflect on the loss suffered by others and think about our own lives now.
Why are you here? What’s your purpose? Reflect and make an effort to do everything you can to be the person you are supposed to be. Don’t wait for tragedy to hit to force you to do that!
Until next time, ka kite ano!
PJ