why do bad things happen

Why do bad things happen to good people? I don't know but it drives me to struggle sometimes but also calls me to solidarity to stand with them. My good friend from many years ago is back in his home country and he is a good faithful pastor and scholar, father and husband. Yet he lost his godson to Dengue fever only a few weeks ago and now his daughter is struggling with a milder strain. I find a deep ache for them. The problem is the increase of mosquitos in Asia and these ones bite during the day rather than dawn and dusk. Like malaria and West Nile fever, Dengue cannot be vaccinated against and there is no real cure. All three of these are on the increase globally.

I struggle a lot of the time with people's blindness to long term effect and consequence. Whether global warming, pollution in general, food and health issues even bottled water and the world we will leave for the next generation. It used to be that parents worried about the future for their children but now I see less of that worry expressed in lifestyle. Gen Yers and the generation following will have a very different world to contend with. Will they despise their parents and grandparents for the world left them? Most countries recognize that their pensions and support structures will not be able to support the aging population in the next generation and that in fact the health of coming generations are in fact likely to diminish as will life expectancy. The residues of chemicals and trace elements namely pollutants in food, drink, water and air are adding up. The presence of majorly genetically modified food still is an unknown quantity. Short-term economics now determines our world. Expediency and political-economic judgements rule thinking not health and welfare of generations to come.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do bad things happen to anyone? Why do they happen at all? Is everything meaninglessness? or Is it a matter of vision being able to see and understand consequences? I'm more and more aware or self-conscious of my own garbage and waste. One small bag of organic food waste every week, fewer and fewer plastic bags and basic garbage. Biking 90 percent of the time beginning to use only rechargeable batteries using less and less canned food etc... Will I make a difference? Unlikely given the patterns of people around me but my conscience is eased knowing that one day I will be judged by the owner of all this and be held accountable both for what I did or did not do. I spent yesterday afternoon with my 5 year old godson and I worry for his future. God help us all.