BABY JESSICA

Remember Baby Jessica? Remember how we all sat in front of the television and prayed that they would rescue the 18 month old toddler that fell down an abandoned well in Midland, Texas? Having lived in Midland in the past made the story memorable for me.

Well (pardon the pun), "Baby Jessica" is now 21 with a child of her own, believe it or not. You can read about her on MSN.

It's ironic that we bond to strangers in trouble, pray for them, hope for them, rejoice with them when they are rescued, and grieve with their families when they are not rescued. Television news exposes us to people all around the world.

And yet, for every Jessica, there are many who suffer and die and no one knows or helps. That is the greater pity.