It’s been almost two months since tragedy struck the BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.  Since that fateful day, it has been almost impossible to turn the television on or go online without seeing some mention of it.  Everyone seems to have their own opinion of who should be responsible for it.  Some say the BP, since it was their rig and they were responsible for maintaining it.  Others say the government for allow BP to drill offshore and not regulating them closely enough.  More arguments spring up over who should be responsible for cleaning the mess up.  There are even arguments over where President Obama has gotten “angry enough” over the way the spill is being handled.

You hear people talking about every aspect of the disaster except for the one that I think matters the most.  Eleven people died when that oil rig exploded.  These were people with families.  People that were out there trying to make a living, just like you and I.

I understand the impact that this disaster could have to our ecosystem.  And I understand the impact that it could have on our economy…affecting everyone from people that make a living fishing to entire cities that survive off of tourism.  But no matter what, there is no greater loss than human life.  Fishermen can find new places to fish.  Cities can find new sources of revenue.  But you can’t replace someone’s father or brother.

So the next time you turn the TV on and hear some reporter talking about the gulf oil disaster, take a moment to think about the workers that lost their lives in that explosion, and say a little prayer for their families.