EPTYesterday, while I was partying with friends and experiencing new things, terrible things happened across the world. It's something I tend to push into the recesses of my thought when I'm having fun. It's not something that people like to think about while having a good time. Sadness isn't very fun, quite simply.
I went on to facebook to see that a girl I was acquainted with had gotten severely injured. It was Yom Kippur yesterday, the day of atonement, and while traveling to synagogue, a girl we'll call TG (the girl) and her mother were hit by a negligent driver. I can't comment on if the pair were walking or driving, but I can say that the crash did not end in their favor. The girl was put into critical condition, and as sources on facebook and twitter have told me, the mother was killed instantly. The family was ripped apart on the Day of Atonement.
I could make really insightful comments on how this is the point of singing Unetaneh Tokef, or some other psuedo-insightful bullshit here, but I don't need to. The family has been brought to it's breaking point in one night, ironically just as Jews across the world were praying to be inscribed in the book of life. I feel like TL isn't the place to talk about that. Honestly, I've come to the least religious point in my life right now, and even I couldn't attempt to say something about this that isn't exorbitantly melancholy. Bad news never has good timing.
What matters much more to me was the response across the world. Within 2 hours, facebook had blown up; people I know around the country, and then around the world were responding to this. People calling for people to insert the girl's name into their prayers while she remained in the hospital. This reaction isn't too weird for a minority community, though. The amazing happened though. The response went from prayer to doing. People across the world - pictures of 150 people praying for the girl in Jerusalem started showing up on my feed mere hours after the accident - took action in honor of this girl. People making cards, people making images telling her to get better. It was more than just amazing, it was refreshing for me to see.
Normally I see people post inanities, but for once, posting had a meaning. There was emotion flowing in each status and share. It was kindness that emanated from the words and not some kind of irony, stupidity, or vacuity. To me it seemed like not only can the world be a loving place when love is needed most. While in this ultimately sad state because of my breakup, this was a rejuvenating experience.
I think a lot of the time I'm cynical of how people treat each other. It isn't that I don't believe people are good, but many times I think the intent and consequence seem the same to me. Seeing this transpire, the love spread across the internet and the world was amazing, and I had to share that with you all.
