Rescue

For the last few days, people around the world have been wrapped up in the story of thirty-three Chilean miners.  Certainly, many have followed this story for the duration of the ordeal, lasting over two months.  From the beginning, I found it amazing that these men managed to survive for seventeen days without outside contact.  Following the wisdom of their leader, the men rationed food to ensure survival.

In my opinion, this is where the rescue began.  Buried in the depths of a dark and hopeless existence, one man remembered his humanity and the humanity of his friends.  He demanded sacrifice and expected his men to prepare for life rather than death.  It would have been easy to figure out the best way to live your last few days, or struggle to find comfort in the face of imminent death.  But these men, set out with a will to live.

This is just one life lesson we can take from this experience.  In the face of hopelessness, the right thing often appears to be the foolish thing.  As we live this life, too often we are resigned to our deaths.  Birth simply begins our slow journey to death. We should prepare for life instead of death; think of others as much as ourselves, appreciate moderation, find humor even in desperation, and pull together to make the most of every situation.