02 Jan Trauma days

A sardonic observer of the passing scene in our fair province writes:

I heard an interview with and about teachers who have the children of refugees in their classrooms. The conversation drifted from the problems the kids have had in their war-torn countries and in refugee camps to problems the teachers suffer. Some of the teachers, after listening to these horrific stories, actually suffer from “vicarious trauma.” Bring on the grief councillors… for the teachers.

Parker, you may as well enjoy life and stop writing your commentaries. There is no hope.

The 18th Century French philosopher Denis Diderot had a phrase for this: “The sweet pleasure of being moved and shedding tears.” Diderot was speaking of popular French dramas, centuries before grief counsellors and TV newscasters turned North America into a continent-sized bowl of Jell-O, quivering at the triple threat posed by gluten, 4-inch snowfalls, and world terrorism.