Thursday, November 5, 2009

Port Grim, Tasmania


I was deeply interested by the contrasts in this BBC news report, and the inexplicable, unpredictable response of humans. It seems there is a question to be asked: what explains or predicts human happiness? Can one be “happy” in a poisonous environment? Obviously, yes. I love clean air and pure water and think I can’t live without it, but perhaps we need exuberance, human laughter, shared community more than a perfect atmosphere?

3 comments:

Andrea H said...

Hmmm- that's very interesting. Thanks for sharing it!

kate o. said...

this was great. it reminds me of when my dad was scheduled to be stationed in a big city full of beauty and culture and diversity. at the last minute his duty station was changed and they ended up moving to a dingy little town in the middle of nowhere. i was in college at the time and thought they'd do their two years and then get out. 10 years later they are still there, retired, and surrounded by a community that has become a family. and i've seen them become stronger people and more tender and joyful people than i ever did while living in big cities with multitudes of churches/communities to choose from.

i'm glad this sparked the memory and connections, thanks!

Margie Haack said...

Andrea, Kate, appreciate your comments. A perfect environment dzn't necessarily equal life and community, does it? I like the counter-intuitive nature of thriving despite "bad air." This weekend in an unincorporated neighborhood of Chicago, where our daughter lives, people are burning leaves (no law against) and the haze stings and penetrates. Am thinking of how God's grace enables us to live despite...