Today's NYT

I haven't been getting too many interesting assignments lately so it was nice to get an op-ed yesterday. Thanks Kim.
It may sound silly but I felt a bit uneasy about trying to interpret this story of loss and human suffering. Who am I, a person who hasn't winessed death, except for loved ones in hospitals, haven't had to flee from unspeakbale opression, nor have I had to starve, or witness the darkest of human nature, who am I to match this guys words? I guess I just felt like the skulls were getting a bit cartoony or the ideas were too cliche, gimicky, and didn't want to cheapen this guys piece.
I had a very trying childhood, violence, alcoholism, abandonement, blah blah blah, etc. But this all seems like suburban folly from people who have too much, embarassing in fact when you think of the suffering that people like this man have faced.
My wife and I went out for dinner last night to celebrate our 19 year anniversary, we had a long conversation about what it might be like to come to this country as a first generation immigrant, and how she and I being several generations removed from that experience can never truly appreciate what we have.

The story.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/opinion/16kim.html