Thanks friends and family for your calls and e-mails. I am fine and thankfully I don't know anyone who was involved in the accident. But I watch the news accounts and read the stories and just feel again so completely sad at how life can change in the blink of an eye. I am also happy though that through tragedy we do see stories of complete and amazing gratitude.

I am moved by the idea that within hours companies like target were already thinking to bring a truck of water and granola to keep the rescue workers hydrated. I am also quite amazed at the number of people who just respond. Who pitch in to help a neighbor. I am so thankful that we were able to hear the stories of people landing safely and being rescued. I am saddened by the idea that people were trapped underwater in their cars. I am saddened by the idea that already we are pointing fingers and trying to place blame. I will be pleased if it means that a greater scrutiny is paid to the safety of structures.

Again we face the idea of how safe is safe enough?

What a terrible tragedy. Living by a large bridge that's under construction I see the amazing feat it takes these construction people to build the large metal engineering from next to nothing. I've also been stuck in traffic. (Although truthfully nothing compares to the frustration of sitting in traffic in chicago, we do have a small bit of rush hour here and in particular whenever I go to Minneapolis I am amazed at the sheer number of traffic jams there can be during "rush hour". )

So I cannot fathom being frustrated by not going anywhere...maybe distracted by tuning in a favorite song and suddenly the truck in front of you just drops and you follow it. Or if you see those cars that are balanced on the part of the bridge that isn't in the water but angled sharply towards it...how about keeping your foot on the brake or applying the emergency brake while hope your car isn't going to slide to your doom.

I pray for all of those families, for the people who where involved in the accident, and for the rescue and recovery workers who have a long road ahead.