On the matter of individual deaths, I believe those in my own neighbourhood are ones I need to attend to first, by means of casseroles and whatever else I can off. I also believe it's possible to be so overtaken and stupified by the tragedies of the world that we don't have any time or energy left for those closer to home, the hurts we should take as our own.

But  I have a different sort of brain. For me, knowing does not replace doing. I find I sometimes need time off from the world of things I can't do anything about so I may be granted the serenity to accept the things I can, and the wisdom to know the  difference.

Barbara Kingsolver.