Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Religion News
Words, Voyeurism and Presence: On Our Tornado Recovery

Words, Voyeurism and Presence: On Our Tornado Recovery

Last updated on: April 24, 2023 at 6:24 am by Jeff Hood

0 Comments

Words, Voyeurism and Presence: On Our Tornado Recovery 2023-04-24T06:24:24-06:00 Jeff Hood

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

OpEd originally published on April 24, 2023 in the The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

Words, Voyeurism and Presence: On Our Tornado Recovery

Our home is gone. That which the wind didn’t take the rain did. Nobody prepares for it…realizing that your life as you knew it is forever changed. What do you say to your kids? The only thing that I knew to say was to repeatedly say, “I love you.” Other than that, I’m just present. I’m just trying to be the best dad I can be.

Have you ever really thought about what most people say amidst tragedy? Most words fall woefully short. I can’t tell you how many funerals I have been to and repeatedly heard, “They’re in a better place.” Such words seem so trivial when people are mourning. It’s as if people are minimizing the pain of the here and now. Or what about, “I know how you feel.” Pain is dependent on the person. How could anyone know the uniqueness of the pain of another? While I realize that people speak because they don’t know what to say, perhaps its most appropriate for people to simply be present in situations when words will always fall short.

In the wake of our experiences, one of the phrases I’ve consistently heard is, “…at least you all have each other…think about if you had lost one of the kids.” While such words are unquestionably true, they fail to appreciate the magnitude of what we’ve lost. Not the least of which is the innocence of our children. So what’s an appropriate thing to say? Often, nothing at all. Presence is enough.

After a tragedy of this magnitude, you don’t have long to mourn. You must get to work. We didn’t have any clothes. We didn’t have anywhere to sleep. We didn’t have any food. Thankfully, armies of help presented themselves. I will never forget how people from everywhere stepped up to help. Even today, the support continues. Presence not words is what is getting us through.

Presence however can also have its’ own drawbacks. For over two weeks, we have done our best to pull things out of the rubble of our house. To say that such recovery is painful is an understatement. For everything you are thrilled to find there is something that you’re devastated to lose. While the help of our community certainly stands out currently, the cruelty of the outsider does too.

Can you imagine what it’s like to be consoling your crying children and you look up to see someone driving by to take pictures with their cellphone? It has happened repeatedly. Often, we have felt like animals at the zoo. We are trying the best we can to survive amidst incredibly painful circumstances and all that many seem to be interested in is taking pictures of our pain. Of course, it’s important to document these events. I am beyond thankful for the work of journalists near and far to share what we’re going through. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the outsider who seems to get tremendous satisfaction at staring at the pain of our neighborhood. My children should not be natural disaster muses. We are not here for your entertainment.

Such thoughts draw me back. Words and voyeurism will always fall short. Presence will not.

If you are interested in being human or humane in the midst of the ongoing tornado recovery that the Walnut Valley Neighborhood and so many others are going through, give those of us who are suffering your presence or please don’t be present at all.

The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood

10923 Breckenridge Drive

Little Rock, AR 72211

Catholic

Politics and Religion

Previous Post

April 22, 2023

Lindsey Barnett: On the Murder of Her Grandparents, Questioning the Judicial Process & the Fight for Her Children

Next Post

April 26, 2023 A Higher Bar: On the Hidden Fallacies of the Richard Glossip Clemency Hearing

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"'God’s Sheep on the Sidewalk' is immensely thought-provoking and conscience-stirring. Thanks. "The people out there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

God’s Sheep: The Ones Who Sleep ..."

"Greetings, Jeff, and bless you for your relentlessly regular fierce posts and your profound commitments ..."

DCF

Between: On the Person and Character ..."

"God as the Between, thoughts:As a child we were taught, in the blue or green ..."

madalyn baumstark

Between: On the Person and Character ..."

"Sometimes we make it harder than it is. Not saying things don't bring us to ..."

Patrick Dennis

Get Behind Me, Satan: A Death ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Danny & Jeff fresh writings latest poetics north texas fellowship of reconciliation Sermon theology from death row Thoughts Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said to Jesus, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The thief on the cross Thomas Mary Magdalene Peter