This past week saw France endure what's known as 'La Canicule'--severe heat. I've already written about that experience previously, so I won't rehash it here; however, the human toll of this 'La Canicule' is staggering. France saw roughly 1,000 people die. Let that sink in.

This is tragedy, which is defined by Oxford as "an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress...." So, why do I entitle this blog post as "Tragedy Makes Us Human"? Well, first, I am not saying that suffering is an inevitability of our condition. That level of nihilism is a non-starter in my book.

No, what I'm saying is that Tragedy creates the circumstances for us to practice what makes us human: charity, caring for the less fortunate, and standing in solidarity with those afflicted. We are a social species, as are most animals in the world. We may stand at one of the world's apexes, but let us not forget upon whose shoulders that reign is dependant. From the tiny, microsopic organisms, to the more organized, robust kindred of the animal kingdom; to the more mechanistic principles and laws that govern the natural world; to the unseen particles that weave the construction of matter itself; our universe is a woven tapestry of interdependance. Tragedies remind us all of this fragile armistice, this tentative Order in the midst of Chaos.

This week also saw the horrible earthquakes that struck Venezuela. Over 1,400 people dead and climbing. Yet, amidst the wreckage and rubble of innocent lives dashed, small mercies and graces are exercised out of the limelight. In the midst of such appalling devastation and naked vulnerability, neighbors help neighbors. Strangers and foreigners alike share pain in solidarity as rescue crews and funds from abroad rush in aid.

This is what I mean by "Tragedy Makes Us Human." I hope we all remember that call to a higher purpose of caring for each other and sacrificing for each other--the generations here-and-now and yet-to-come.

Stay safe. Stay healthy.

Remember to love.

-Johnathen