In the midst of sitting in rapt attention watching the unbelievable news coverage of the massive Chilean earthquake on TV today, I got a phone call from my daughter Sara, who works as a professional florist for the hotels of the MGM casino empire in Las Vegas.
"Dad, I'm calling you partly because I haven't talked with you for some time and have been thinking of you a lot. I'm also calling you because today I went to the dentist and had a couple of cavities filled, and all the talk there in the dentist's office was about the earthquake in Chile. And you know, Dad, it made me think a lot about how much you love Chile, and at this moment I just wanted to tell you that I'm so glad you're not down there in Chile right now."
I paused for a moment to take in what Sara had said. Then I replied, "Well, I guess I'm glad that I'm not down there in Chile right now either."
Those are words I never could have imagined uttering - not until now. In retrospect, thanks to my multiple extended visits to Chile and Argentina during the past decade I really have come to love these two countries of the so-called "Southern Cone" of South America. I particularly know that this is a love for not just the land but also for the people of both countries, while acknowledging the subtle cultural differences which give definition to the national identies of citizens of these two neighbors.
I still have not received word from friends of mine who live in Santiago or from others who live in the valley of the Río Bio Bio, not far from the city of Concepción. That bothers me, but I can imagine that they are dealing with things much more basic right now and that they likely have not, or cannot go online presently.
My friend Robert Runyan, who now lives in the small Chilean hamlet of Puerto Bories, located near the town of Puerto Natales, which is in the far southern Magallanes region (Chilean Patagonia) has responded and says he is fine, at least for now. But even as far away as he is, Robert's activities will certainly be affected by the devastating hammer blow that this earthquake has made on the infrastructure of Chile. (Incidentally, you might find it worthwhile to check the link I have to Robert's blog here on my Atacama Viajero page.)
No doubt the extent of the devastation of this new gigantic earthquake (tentatively catalogued as being the fifth worst in recorded history) will transform my beloved Chile, and I suspect that it has also perhaps transformed the telling of my own story of these landmark trips of personal discovery - which I see as being a good thing. That's because now what I will be telling you will carry a more direct and powerful message - telling every reader how I came to love these marvelous and beautiful South American countries. Much of what I was working on and had been saving in draft form will now be dumped, and I will take this event and turn it into my jumping off point to tell of my adventures down there in such beautiful lands before this most recent grave tragedy.
But as I prepare to tell that story I want to remind everyone that time and again throughout history Chile has suffered greatly. But the Chileans have proved themselves to be absolutely resilient in the face of all kinds of adversity. Today they will need our prayers and our help. But I have no doubt that with perseverance and hard work they will recover.
Therefore, I'll dedicate my blogging retrospective to these fine people and their wonderful countries, and share with you how I came to love them and their spectacularly beautiful lands.
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