Sick

I intended to post two book reviews yesterday and today, but after what happened in Spain I feel writing about food is something I can't do now. It's hard to say something about what happened that doesn't sound superficial, hypocrit or that hasn't been said already. I'll try and excuse me if it may all sound a bit confused, mixed up. That's just the way I feel now.

I'm feeling sick and angry. I'm thinking about those people who died, wondering what their last thoughts were, what their life was like, and trying to immagine how hard it is for those left to mourn for them. I can't help thinking what would happened if I was one of them or if somebody close to me was one of the victims. Why hit those people? I know, we could talk for hours about why,but I just don't understand.

It makes me mad that everytime something like this happens some politician uses the shock effet and goes on and proposes some new restriciton to personal freedom. Today in Germany someone proposed that from now on train stations shoud have the same safety measures as airport. What next? Because if you think about it there are pleanty of places were crowds gatehr where terrorist could hit. Busses, shopping malls, cultural events and, hey, streets! Does the police plan to check everyone of these? Should we all be controlled like in an Orwellian nightmare? Excuse me if I say so, but sometimes I have the feeling that this is exactly what some politicians are aiming to.

I'm also feeling guilty. Guilty of speaking about these people without never before saying anything about the hundreds dead in Iraq, Israel and Palestine and other parts of the world were people are dying in some forgotten war I don't even know of. On the other hand I know that in a very egoistic way I can't mourn for world suffering everyday otherwise I would go mad.

I feel guilty because one of the first things that crossed my mind yesterday as I read the news was: if I had to die this way i'd at least hope to die after dinner, I'd hate to have breakfast as my last meal. I can't understand why I think something so silly but I did.

So sorry if you'll find no food around here today, it will be back soon enough.

Comments

[Pim]

Alberto,

I sympathize with you completely. My blog on March 11 was no less morbid, nor was it at all about food.

It is startling to think what absurdity normalcy has become.

Right after the tragedy of September 2001, a friend pointed me to an essay by C.S Lewis. I went back to read it recently. It helped me, just as it did then. Perhaps it will help you too. (The link to the blog from September 2001 is in my signature.)

Cheers,
Pim

[Alberto]

Pim, I read your blog on the 11th and it made me think quite a bit. I had begun to write this post already but wasn't sure if I should post it or not. I guess what you wrote convinced me that I should after all post this, even if I would have liked to put it down in a cleare form and so on. It was what I felt at the momet (and actually still feel) and as such I wrote it. Thanks for the link, it's a thought stimulating quote.

P.S. on a completely different topic: did you get my reply to your mail?