Deep in Chile: A Human Odyssey
A few weeks ago, when I first learned of the cave-in of a small mine in Chile, I didn’t really bother to pay that much attention. I figured any survivors were doomed and, in any case, it wasn’t that big of a disaster. Mines collapse somewhere in the world all the time. The recent floods in Pakistan were far worse in terms of the sheer size of the human scale. But, meaningful "size" is not always just in terms of quantitative numbers and distances measured in many miles. Certain human qualities sometimes take on an enormous size in strict terms of human awareness and are measured in but a few hundred square feet. In recent days, I have taken greater notice of events. It has become a heroic story in my mind, still unfolding. But, for me, it seems miraculous not only that anyone survived almost a half-mile down like that but that they managed to get to this particular location were they could be found. And then to have the animal instinct in the very higher human form to wait