Josh Flynn

It’s been way too long since I blogged about anything of substance, my life has been consumed with work since before I even graduated. Today however, I have been in a very reflective and introspective mindset after seeing and hearing about the massive earthquake and tsunamis occurring around the world.

Helping rebuild a small school in Thailand after the 2004 tsunami.

It’s one thing to see these dramatic videos and images coming out of Japan. They’re insane, and I think it would make anybody with any emotions stop for a minute and evaluate how lucky we are to have everything we take for granted.

It’s another thing to see the aftermath of something like this first hand. It’s something that can’t be articulated, it’s a feeling I will never forget, something that has made me appreciate life in a way that I never would be able to had I not had those experiences.

I have to admit, when I signed up to go to Thailand with a group called Religious Youth Services to go help with the relief efforts, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. My naivety was quickly replaced with reality. I knew it would be hard and that it would require a lot from me not only physically, but mentally. I just never could’ve forseen the lasting impact seeing that kind of situation first hand, would have on me.

One instance that really sticks out in my mind was visiting a small storefront that was actually part of a family’s house. I was there to buy a soda, or some candy; something completely unnecessary, buy hey, I was in Thailand.

While I don’t know a lick of Thai, and this elderly woman working there couldn’t speak a word of English, for the few minutes I was in the store, I was strongly connected with her. As I approached the counter with my small meaningless items, she reached for a small photo album that was on the shelf behind her.

She opened the first page to me, showing me a photo of a beach in Ao Nang, near where we were staying in Phukhet. I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on until she flipped to the second photo.

It was another shot of the beach, littered with dead bodies. Blood, body parts, shoes and sandals everywhere. Photo after photo, there was death and destruction in a way I had never been so close to.

Many of these people already had next to nothing: no electricity, no running water; but they stayed optimistic and led their lives in a simpler manner, but seemed like they were content. Their lives and worlds were turned upside down by this disaster that nobody has any control over.

To see this type of pain within this old woman, with no words being exchanged, really had a big impact on my experiences both there and back home. Life is way too fragile and precious to treat it the way we do, especially in this country. We take all of the basics for granted—food, clean water, shelter—and spend our time complaining about the luxuries we could go without, or debating who’s running back will pick up more yards next season.

I guess my point is that when this type of tragedy strikes, maybe it’s a good opportunity for those of us who are more fortunate to recalibrate the way we think about life. I’m the first to admit that I get stuck in these same pitfalls, and take all of the blessings life has given me as something I should expect rather than a privilege.

I’ve made it a point today to stop and think about what’s going on around me. Life really is what you make it, and I want to make something great of mine, something that can resonate with others, something that makes a difference.

While what that will be has yet to be determined, I know one day I’ll get there. Hopefully with people I love around me, and nothing but positive energy; something the world could definitely use a lot of nowadays.

Peace.

A party was held at the school before we all headed home, here's me "swimming"