In the NPR piece, a woman from Baghdad speaks about how it is now considered a mark of divine blessing just to be able to die a natural, non-violent death. Her family celebrated the chance to care for her mother at home in her last days because they got to say goodbye and she got to die of heart failure in her home surrounded by family. This kind of death isn't the expectation any longer in Iraq and so it has become a precious gift.

When I think about the ways Paris squanders her many gifts and shamelessly panders to a society which is very willing to let her be famous for nothing much in particular, it makes me angry, sad and ashamed that we who have so much can dismiss so many lives as collateral damage and not even have the decency to make it a bigger story than our celebrities and toys.

If you didn't catch the NPR story do yourself a favor and listen. Then go hug your kids and offer thanks for the amazing gifts we have just because the Divine allowed us to be born into the privilege of America. We have power and voices which we can choose to use in our homes, neighborhoods and the larger world. In fact, I would even like to believe that it may not be too late for Paris to experience redemption and use her vast, wealthy voice for something more important than planning her welcome home party. Might I suggest that she start by getting off the TV long enough to recognize that her tales of woe are not really news compared to people dying in the violent wreckage of a war torn country without anyone to hold them and ease their fear.