Seeing 2 Dimensional in a 3 Dimensional World

Last weekend, I treated myself to the new Harry Potter movie on IMAX.  In preparation, I read the 800+ page book in haste as I wanted to be able to compare the text with the movie (like most avid HP fans).  Although the movie was amazing on the gigantic IMAX screen, of course the book was 10 times better than the movie.  Some critics slammed the IMAX presentation, because there was a lot of hype around the 3-D features that were added.  The 3-D portion of the movie was about 20 minutes of intense action towards the conclusion, of course like everyone else, I also was excited about seeing flames and snakes coming out of the screen.

UNFORTUNATELY, unlike most normal people, I have faulty depth perception.  What that means is that the majority of what I see is in 2 dimensions instead of 3.  It also means that it's rare that I enjoy 3-D features in movies.  For HP, I saw a little, but not as much as the person sitting next to me.  I have to admit, having messed up depth perception makes me a little clumsy and has afforded me the opportunity to rack up quite a few embarassing moments from tripping over steps, my own feet, curbs, cups of air...

The lack of depth perception has made me consider this deficiency in other areas of my life.  I know that sometimes, like everyone, I can be very superficial and naive about things.  It's easy to forget about things that are bigger than us, when we wear rose-colored glasses or have no perception of depth.  In the summer of 2002, I saw more than I had ever seen before when I spent time in Haiti to study public health and disaster management with some of my distance learning colleagues while in graduate school.

Prior to my preparation to visit Haiti, I had no clue even where Haiti was - although I prided myself in being one with a keen knowledge of geography.  Before going, we had to do extensive research on Haiti, from the history to economics and politics.  It was truly enlightening.  As Haiti is the only Black republic in the western hemisphere, it is also the poorest.  That is not a mistake (I could go on and on about personal opinions and theories about why this is so...but perhaps another time).  Although Haiti is a poor country with a history of openly corrupt government, it has beautiful mountains and some of the most beautiful coastlines.  The people of Haiti are warm and hospitable even though the majority of them have very little or nothing.  It was not uncommon to see a fortress (with armed guards and barbed-wire fence) next door to 4 walls of sheet rock (with no roof, and people sitting inside).

I remember sitting in an internet cafe, lamenting about all that I saw and overwhelmed with grief because I came from a country that allowed (in some opinion, perpetuated) this situation in a neighboring country.  I literally cried.  While I was in Haiti, I fell in love with the people and the place and although I didn't have much, I still wanted to make a difference.  When I returned from my stay in Haiti, I raised awareness with my classmates and colleagues about all that I saw there and mentioned a key observation was that many people did not have proper shoes (if any).  I started a small drive to collect shoes and socks to send back to Haiti.  Unfortunately, I did not continue that venture because I was not persistent with my contacts in Haiti, so I was unable to ship all that was collected.

Although it has been some time since I've been to Haiti, I've never forgotten and I've been foolish in thinking that I couldn't make a difference, even as a "regular" person.  A friend of mine who is a doctor for a program that supports those living with HIV/AIDS in Haiti turned me on to the website of a couple of men who have committed to changing the lives of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS through building an orphanage that will be equipped to provide specialized care for these children, most of which are HIV positive or have AIDS themselves.  Although these gentlemen are giving a significant amount of their own time, energy, and money; they are inviting the public to share in this endeavor through their internet journey: We Can Build an Orphanage.

When I first visited the website, after seeing the video clips and hearing their voices, I was taken back to my visit to Haiti.  When I visited the hospital in Port-au-Prince and saw the babies and their parents and the families caring for their loved ones while the nurses and doctors tended to those that were most critical, the images were burned into my memory.  I could relate to what they were showing and describing, as the video clips opened the file cabinets of my memory.  After perusing and coming back to the website several times, I made the decision to pledge my support for the construction and operation of this orphanage - I wrote the Executive Director to say so as well.

It brings me back to the intention of this post...how we sometimes see things 2 dimensionally on purpose, knowing that we live in 3 dimensions.  How do we reconcile being in a position to assist someone in need and NOT doing it?  How do we ignore the fact that our neighbor cannot eat because she needs to make sure there's enough for her children?  How do we ignore our neighbor who has no electricity because they are forced to choose between eviction and lights?  How do we ignore our neighbor who is incapacitated and cannot get their medication from the pharmacy?  The irony is that what I saw in Haiti, also happens here in the United States and it is equally ignored.  I always wonder if there is ever any conscience to our culture.

We've all been guilty of not seeing the big picture at one time or another, but there is always the opportunity for reconciliation.  You don't have to be a certain status or make a certain amount of money, as anyone can make a difference in the life of another.  How will YOU do it?

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