Mother Nature?

Death seems to be everywhere today. Yesterday I spoke to Emma J in Folkestone, who is co-ordinating Saga’s response to the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The company had several groups in the affected areas. Some are already home but there are two passengers still ‘unaccounted for.’ Today I read the first-hand account by one of the BBC’s reporters who had been in a beach-front hotel in Thailand and found it very moving. I can identify with people who were there now. Suddenly it means something to me.

This evening we also heard that Phillip D, our oldest Chorus member, had died. He had been ill for some time and people were very worried when he stopped attending rehearsals without any explanation. Now we finally know why.

Fanatics flying jetliners aren’t what we should be worrying about. Plain old Mother Nature wields many more weapons – both the dramatic and the insidious – against which we prepare no defences or early warnings.