disposed of or else it festers and damages the person carrying it. This baggage removal often requires external help from loved ones who can offer support and encouragement. A year ago I dealt with depression caused by emotional baggage. I abandoned everything dear to me: friends, parents, sisters, nieces and nephews. I spent most of my time hurting and alone, not knowing why I was afraid to face the world. Buried deep within myself were hurts I did not want to face—which had killed my dreams and zest for life. God, my friends and family, through their love and support, came in like a disaster response team and helped me out of my catastrophe. I worked with my therapist to discover, handle and dispose of the emotional baggage I was carrying.
Courtesy IRR Student
combination of speed and precision. Training and equipment is necessary because dead bodies spread diseases if not handled or disposed of properly. To ensure a population’s full recovery, the dead must be dealt with just as much as debris must be cleared and removed. Disasters manifest themselves in many variations, from international disasters like the Haiti earthquake to personal disasters like abuse or addiction. They may not always make news headlines, yet disasters happen all the time, especially in personal lives, frequently going unnoticed by the population’s majority. Emotional baggage caused by personal disasters is comparative to dead bodies from catastrophes. The baggage needs to be discovered, handled and
A teddy bear signifies a glimpse of life in the rubble.
Bear ye one another’s burdens. Another method of “body removal” in personal disasters requires a more literal action. A person in an abusive relationship may need help to remove themselves from the situation. They may not have the means or strength to do it alone. Again, it takes a delicate combination of speed and precision to safely move them to a protected environment. Delicate handling is also required when addressing a loved one’s addictions, be it drugs, alcohol, sex, food, or video gaming. One misstep, no matter how well-intended the action is, can create more problems. Handling disasters can be the most difficult endeavor anyone undertakes. Consequences and risks must be accepted. Relief groups in physical disasters risk their lives and well-being. They face dangers from disease, structurally unsafe buildings, and hazardous materials. The horrors they experience cause emotional and psychological stress. Friends and family risk relationships and sometimes their personal well-being in order to help those they care about in personal disasters. It might test their strength to the brink of collapse, yet
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