My heart was in my mouth watching the latest earthquake catastrophe unfolding on my TV on Friday evening (NZ Time).  Watching the tsunami rip through towns along Japan’s coast was another example of nature’s brutal force over all mankind.  I couldn’t help thinking, where will it all end?

Gone are the days when such disasters were being reported on – in the past tense.  Now information and communications technologies combined with our seemingly insatiable appetite for on the spot continuous news coverage brings us the tragic drama right to us almost simultaneously as it happens.  There is no doubt that in the middle of the Christchurch earthquake experience and it’s aftermath people outside of Christchurch knew much more than we did on the ground.

I have feelings of completely horror and helplessness all over again for the people of Japan’s north island.  Once again I’m reminded how fragile life is and how one ordinary day can turn into a living nightmare. As New Zealand was put in tsunami alert you can’t help but wonder what might be heading our way.  As it turned out it was a small swell which lapped our shores but nevertheless a gentle reminder that we are connected to the rest of the world and what is their disaster could be ours too and vice-versa.

When I trawled my photo stocks for something appropriate to accompany this post I was drawn to a few photographs I took at Birdling’s Flats on our return journey from Akaroa to Christchurch.  This is an isolated spot on the Kaitorete Spit and couldn’t have been more in contrast to the idyllic views of Akaroa Harbour.  Standing on the pebbly beach as the wind blew us almost off our feet this was raw coast at it’s finest.

Standing looking out to sea you could be fooled into thinking that the glassy sheet of blue was a peaceful and gentle element.  Of course we know better that when whipped up by nature the sea can play cruel and devastating tricks on the coastal areas.

The sea is a place to be respected not just for it’s beauty but for it’s powerful forces.  For you never know when that tide might turn.

If you want to do something to help for the people of Japan – reach for your credit card or pop to a bank close to you.  As global citizens that is the best thing we can do – give what you can afford – a little, or a lot – whatever it is you donate will make a big difference to helping the people of Japan most affected by this tragedy.