Uncharted Waters-When Will It End?

On Tuesday night I watched President Obama give a presidential address from the Oval Office in the White House thinking I would be reassured, when he finished speaking.  I, like millions of Americans who worry about the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the environmental and economic damage it is doing, desperately want reassurance. We want to believe that someone is in charge and somehow experts will shut this oil well down. But I wasn't reassured, even though it sounded like the President was declaring "war" and stating a "battle plan." He said that the oil spill was "assaulting our shores," and he used a lot of military language but I still wasn't reassured. He said, "The one answer I will not settle for is the idea that this challenge is somehow too big and too difficult to meet." But that's what it seems like to millions of Americans. Because if it wasn't too big or difficult to solve, it would have been solved weeks ago. It seems to me that the problem is out of control and it certainly looks that way when you see video footage of the oil still gushing from the well. I find this disaster, the loss of life and the environmental catastrophe that continues to unfold very disturbing.    

The President ended his speech with faith-filled language which I liked and which is greatly needed. That was somewhat comforting. He said we needed courage, "For a hand to guide us through the storm towards a  brighter day." We need faith and prayer in the midst of the storm, in the midst of every storm. 

I hope and pray the brighter day is coming, for everyone involved. Most especially for the wildlife that is under stress. In an article I just read on Huffington Post,  marine scientists who are studying the effects of the oil spill on animals are seeing unusual behavior. "Animals are fleeing the oil and clustering in cleaner water, closer to the shore. According to scientists, this means their habitats are badly polluted and this could result in massive die-offs, as fish run out of oxygen..." 

We are in uncharted waters.  I believe that America is a great country and somehow we will get through this, with courage, prayer and persistence as the President mentioned. And perhaps I worry too much (for a person of great faith), but one reason I wasn't reassured by the President's speech is that I thought I sensed a little fear (or perhaps it was anxiety) in the President. I found that unsettling. He seemed fearful or anxious to me, as if this was bigger than we think or even know about at this point.  

NJA