The Awesome Power of Women
Special thanks to larokkaku for bringing this story to my attention.
As I wrote here yesterday – it’s the individual stories of survival and triumph that come out of such catastrophic disasters like the China earthquake which renew my belief in the human spirit; and this story here does just that.
A Chinese policewoman who gave birth herself about six months ago has assumed the responsibility of breastfeeding eight infants whose mothers were either killed in the earthquake, or who are too traumatized to be able to care for their babies on their own.
Also in this same article is a story of how rescue workers discovered a mother and her infant buried under piles of rubble, and where this mother who knew that her life was about to end, cradled her baby against her breast so that the baby would be able to survive after her mother’s life ended.
These stories have brought tears to my eyes tonight.
1Richard
wrote on 20 May 2008 at 15:18
Hi Nina: When you look or read the news of the world it has to make one realize how lucky by birth we are. The earthquake in China, and all the rest,it just one think. The stories are heart breaking to say the least. I hope you week is going well. My new computer will be shipped the 23rd. The boys Benny and Lenny are doing fine. Richard
2larokkaku
wrote on 20 May 2008 at 16:01
tears for the children
who have lost their parents.
tears for the parents
who have lost their children
(this in a country where they
are allowed only one).
with grace, maybe the lost will find
each other, and begin to heal.
‘Elegy’ by He Xiaozhu
Thousands upon thousands of anguished cries
Returning to silence and tranquillity
Heavenly acts cannot be predicted
The moon over Wenchuan
Still, a question mark
Aftershocks extend to Chengdu
Sorrow engulfs half the world
Tears turn to ice
Let candlelight melt them away
Children, climb on a dandelion
and line up for heaven
3nina aoki
wrote on 20 May 2008 at 17:39
Richard,
Oh sweetie — this could very well have happened anywhere, even here. The stories are indeed heartbreaking to listen to — simply heart wrenching.
We shouldn’t take too much comfort in our insular world of privilege. This is all one world.
I’m happy to hear that you’ll get your new computer soon! ;)
nina
4nina aoki
wrote on 20 May 2008 at 17:42
larokkaku,
Thank you for sharing these with me. Some of the poems written by Chinese writers who witnessed this horror with their own eyes are sobering. It brings tears to my eyes to listen to the stories of children who lost their parents or parents who lost their children. There was one story which came out the day of the quake of a school which was leveled, killing all of the children inside, and outside, their inconsolable parents wailed to the sky over their loss.
I cannot imagine what it must be to feel and know such pain and grief.
Which is why stories such as the Chinese policewoman breastfeeding those babies, or the mother who clutched her child to her breast in the hopes that it would survive even tho she wouldn’t move me so much.
nina