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Home › Articles › Fiction/Opinion/Essays/Humor › Ocean of Tears

Ocean of Tears

Tsunami Brings Tide of Emotion

By Linda Sharp

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By Linda Sharp


We have many things to be proud of in the fallout of the tsunamis that struck so many areas in Asia and Africa on Christmas weekend 2004. We are proud of the rescue workers who are working tirelessly, single mindedly, in the region, struggling to feed the hungry, heal the wounded, shelter the displaced. We are proud of our government, which stepped up with a release of 0 million dollars in immediate aid, in addition to providing on-ground support from our military. Just like after Sept. 11, the words "whatever you need, you will get" are reaching the ears of the victims. We are proud of our people who have reached deeply into their pockets, regardless of political, racial or religious affiliation.

We should also be proud of our children.

Displaying a compassion born of innocence and bewilderment, and an insight that belies their years, they have given so many adults the strength to see past the devastation and the resolve to help keep life moving forward.

Since the natural disaster, I have talked with my children, children in their schools and neighbor children and fielded e-mails from children around the globe. And like adults, they have an intense desire to help on some level with what has happened.

While they are too young to provide hands-on relief and most have, thankfully, not been personally affected by the loss of a loved one in this disaster, they need an outlet for what they are feeling. Just as we adults, who live far away from the devastation, feel a sense of impotence, so do our children. We all want to help.

Here is a simple program that can immediately empower our children and let them have an active outlet for their compassion: "The Power of the Penny." Quite simply, it is a call for kids to bring in to their schools pennies from home, under the rugs, lost in the couch cushions, on the floor of the car and from neighbors. They can then place them each morning into a large bucket located in their classrooms or the front of their school. All monies collected would be given directly to their area Red Cross, which will forward the money to the relief efforts in Asia. Again, so simple, yet a way to show that the smallest of our people can collect the smallest of our currency and help in the largest of ways.

I think I speak for just about everyone that we all have piles, bottles and jars full of pennies at home that are simply gathering dust on the windowsill or closet shelf. And this extends to countries around the globe. Somehow the smallest piece of currency, regardless of nationality, is viewed as a nuisance. Yet brought together, they have the power to provide relief and hope – to change lives.

I have personally spearheaded this same fundraiser in my daughters' school following Sept. 11 and was overwhelmed by the response of the children: In just three days' time they had collected ,200. That's right, ,200 in pennies that would have otherwise continued collecting dust and being ignored. The day the Red Cross came to their school and the kids presented them with the money is one I will remember all my life. The children felt empowered, they felt pride and, regardless of their age, they felt grown up.

So approach your principals, PTAs and superintendents. This is an easy way to empower our children, yet not disrupt the learning process a bit – in fact they will probably come out learning something about the ability they have to help.

The Power of the Penny – if those pennies could equal in number the thoughts and prayers offered up since this tragedy, this simple effort will be a profound example of the power of our children, who are


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