We're okay...

...but there were plenty of folks out there today who were far less fortunate. We, just like you, will be keeping them in our thoughts.

I'm deeply touched by everyone's concern, and for once I'm truly grateful for the internet. Just the thought of my family waking up in the morning (or middle of the night) to this kind of news, and then not knowing our status is something I've always feared. Luckily, at the very least, letting people know you're okay is easier and far more effective than ever before.

For some reason, as I've grown up, I've become jaded at the thought of earthquakes and natural disasters. I lived though '89 just fine, I've reasoned, so I've always kind of thought of people's earthquake fears (especially from those living outside of California) as blown out of proportion. Today, I can no longer think that way. One more thing I can not take for granted. As time goes by, and especially on my last few travels, I've come to realize just how tiny the world is. Whether it's in a good way (running into a friend on the street 5K miles from home), or a bad way, it just is true. When it comes to things "far away" I always have this perception of vastness, or largeness. But when you realize just how close everything really is, how connected we actually are, it becomes more and more difficult to think about what's happening as happening to "the other." There is no other, only parts of ourselves that we ignore or have yet to discover.

On a more positive note, life, safety, and the love of our friends and family...this is what carries us into the next day, and it is something I should be more thankful for, and hope to show more thanks for. I'm thankful for the fact that I'm in this with the love of my life, I'm thankful for our families for letting us be ourselves and loving us, I'm thankful for all of our friends, who make it their business to make sure that we're unhurt.

I pray for those who were hurt today and hope that the worst is over.