So I’ve been following the plight of Los 33, and after learning when the rescue would start the first thing I did when I woke Wednesday morning was to run the Al Jazeera app on my phone. I was lucky to catch the first rescue. It was amazing. I cried. So much anticipation, worry, endurance and dedication went into making that moment happen and I was so happy for the people most directly affected. I was literally watching the rescue mission for 17 hours, as I had it on livestation all day at work and continued to watch it till I fell asleep only to wake up and watch the last two rescue workers get pulled out in the morning. It never got old for me to see the men emerge from the rising phoenix.
Some people criticize the media for treating it like a soap opera. Maybe. I wasn't really exposed to that side of it, but I can imagine, especially in Latin America, there was much more focus on Los 33 as a particular cast of characters with their own dramas. There are other criticisms, and this I agree with, that the celebratory jubilation over shadows the whole reason why the miners ended up trapped in the belly of the beast for 70 days: free market politics and profit over safety regulations. There is a lot of truth to it and hopefully critical issues will be addressed seriously across the world, not just Chile, because days after this rescue, fatal accidents are continuing.
I think what got me stuck on watching almost the entire rescue was that each time another man emerged from the tunnel and embraced his loved ones, it was such a triumph of the endurance of the human spirit. That is not something we get to witness every day. It was a successful rescue mission. Another thing we don't get to see often, especially in Afghanistan, where a fellow aid worker, just a week ago, was killed during a failed rescue mission after being held by kidnappers for two weeks. Living in Afghanistan, we all face that reality, not just international aid workers, but Afghans working with international organizations take the risk of one day being killed as a result of their jobs. Or even those who are out of their homes, just working, and happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. It's different, but miners too take risks each day, going to work to earn a living and provide for their families, often in settings they know are not the safest.
In her article on-point article for the Guardian titled Why has the Chilean miners' rescue left me so euphoric? Zoe Williams writes "One's instinct is to distrust an emotional response like this, because it's so random. What's a living definition of sentimentality, if not this heightened, secondhand euphoria for the survivors of an accident so unremarkable in a dangerous industry? And yet I feel euphoric. I don't care if it's sentimental." I think as humans, as people, we deserve to see these beautiful moments every once and a while. It's not our victory, and it's not a perfect victory or ending, but it feels good. And we shouldn't miss the chance to learn from them either.
Mario Sepúlveda was the second miner to be rescued. He has become the showman and media favorite for his jubilance, exuberance and shining personality. It’s true. The energy he brought to the surface was unbelievable. Watching him immediately embrace the euphoria of the moment, watching him literally shine, really moved me. After being rescued, he said something along the lines of anyone who has the chance to call their loved ones before they do something dangerous "please call them...love is the most wonderful thing there is: the love of your parents and your family..."
I’m sure all the miners have wisdom to share, going through such an ordeal, and it’s not even so much wisdom, it's things we all know but forget as we go through life on a day-to-day basis. You forget to be thankful, you forget to thank, you take for granted that if something has to be said, you can just say it later, you think there will always be time later, to make a change in yourself, to try to better, to forgive, to grow, to take care of yourself. But life is precious. No one is guaranteed anything.
Afghanistan has taught me that, but usually through sadness. Chile reminded me of that, but through success, joy, triumph and achievement; where 33 men have been given a second chance. It’s a blessing and a gift, and I hope they are all able to stay grounded as life moves on and they are forced to deal with press, financial issues, jealousy, and the demons that lurk within the memories of dark experiences. But in the meantime, I’m thankful for the chance to watch the whole thing unfold triumphantly, and open myself up to the joy of the moment to learn from it. And I really do keep Mario’s words close to my heart:
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