Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have probably heard on the news about the volcano in Iceland that erupted ( http://tiny.cc/mxodg) on Friday (April 16).

I’m glad that NPR is doing some coverage about the people of Iceland, because on most of the news stories all I seem to hear is only focused on the difficulties of air travel and major airports closing in England and Paris ( http://tiny.cc/d5m0j). According to my mom, my step-father (who is a Geologist) spent some time in Iceland when he was working on his Ph.D. and really enjoyed the people he met there (http://tiny.cc/i4piw). I did tell mom that it was probably because he was with his “peeps”….Dave is six foot something with red hair…sounds like he’s of viking origin to me?!

I just thought it was odd that the focus of most of the media was on how the volcano was effecting us or could affect us with little to no inclusion of the people who live there. It seems to me with the internet so accessible to many people that there is a responsibility for us to take more interest in the world around us. I’ve been hearing and reading many news stories lately about the quality of news and how it has diminished. Along with that there is the fear of the vehicle of news changing from paper to electronic and the further watering down of facts. Yet, here we are with the portals to the world at our fingertips and the ability to inform and help each other know what is going on.

No longer do we have to sit by like little apathetic children and let our news be spoon fed to us, we can take an active part in where we go to get our information. At the same time, we have to take care of ourselves and watch where and how we focus our energy so that we don’t overwhelm our senses with all that is going on that we can know about now.

Still, as weird as it seems to me…I feel connected to Iceland as well and I have no idea why. I really don’t like being cold, I’ve never visited there and it is way the heck on the other side of the universe from me but for some reason, I do feel a strong pull to know more about it. Especially now. Maybe it is because there is just enough Iceland DNA floating around in some of the friends that I’ve made here in the U.S., that I feel the connection. Whatever it is, I know when I get these hits to pay attention, I need to pay attention.

I do know that eventually the fine volcanic dust will settle and yield very rich soil for vegetation to grow. Until then however, we need to watch, listen and learn. All kinds of tectonic plates are shifting these days both on the material world and the spiritual one.

Let our hands be one that reaches out to help so that when we need to reach out for help…there is one to grasp ours.