Re: Sadness at Tsunami tragedy “The pictures of the results of the earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand are images that are hard to forget and have brought to my mind horrors such as 9 /11 when I watched the Tower falling. It is sickening to watch those events unfold and not have the ability to do anything to help, how much more so for people in those countries who watched their neighbours being swept away or crushed. “It is a reminder that although we may believe that we are a powerful nation who is evolved and modern – there are some things that we cannot control and cannot predict no matter how much knowledge we possess. I am a member of one of the most influential Parliaments in the world and yet each sitting day I mark my prayer card and sit for prayer time realising that it is “only by seeking wisdom that I can help make the right decisions. I once read a poem and the message has always stayed with me – “I am only one, but I am one” I have a duty to do all that I can in order to make the world a better place. “Whether that is by Praying for those people in New Zealand who are dealing with the aftermath or donating to those in Japan who are still dealing with the effects of this recent earthquake and tsunami, there is something that we can all do and we must do that. “I pray that I never become hardened by the plight of people and that I continue to strive to help in all ways – whether that is in my office for my constituents, through donations to charities or through my prayers for those in far off places. “The recent pictures have brought home how fleeting life can be and how important it is to live your life in the best way that you can and to have made a positive difference to the lives of people around you.” Yours sincerely, Jim Shannon MP (Strangford) 34a Frances Street Newtownards.]]>