Severe mercy

We have come through a severe weather weekend, to say the least. The tragedy in Greensburg and other locations in western and central Kansas have been mind-numbing, both in the severity of the storms and the persistence of severe-weather cycles that afflicted our state. <p>Marion County experienced some flooding because of significant rainfall on Thursday and Sunday, but our inconveniences pale compared to the enormous tragedy in Greensburg. While we are grateful not to be the focus of national news because of tornado devastation, we may feel a twinge of ?survivors? guilt? as we reflect on the ultimate questions: Why Greensburg? Why not us?<p>Those questions lead to this truth: ultimately, there is no cause-and-effect explanation for it. No one is deserving or undeserving on their own merit. Life is a kind of lottery that all of us play every day simply because we live a fragile world where risk is the price of participation.<p>And so, in profound humility, today we look for ways to help those coping with loss, knowing our hour of need may still be ahead of us. ?DR