Guest Dad Joe Burris ruminates on the outpouring of help for earthquake victims and Haiti, and the encouraging signal that sends for the world we'll leave to our children: One of my fondest memories as a student at Howard was getting to know our chapel dean. Dr. Evans Crawford grew up in some of the most turbulent times in our country, but people approached him and asked, “How are you doing?” he was fond of saying, “I count blessings.” I’ve thought much about his words as I’ve done several stories on the fallout from the devastating earthquake in Haiti. As I’ve learned more about the tragedy, I haven’t considered any personal blessings. Instead, I’ve marveled at the social ones. I feel blessed to live in a land where its people have illustrated beyond a doubt that caring has no color, that it is not tied to any faith, any ideology, any political party or background. We are a people who give until it hurts, knowing that whatever pain we suffer pales in comparison to those in need. We are currently faced with staggering joblessness figures, and if there’s light at the end of the tunnel, it must be coming from a 30-watt bulb. Still we’ve put our woes aside at the mere sight of Haiti’s devastation. We have spent months arguing vehemently over health care, but we haven't thought twice about providing it to those in Port-au-Prince. Our physicians have worked 20-hour shifts providing balms to those wounded in body, mind and spirit. We have reached out to provide better lives to children knowing little about them, about what needs they may face or the extent to which concerns might end up turning our worlds upside down. Often I consider the much-maligned world that we adults will soon hand over to our children, and I can’t help but grieve and worry. But then I consider all we’ve done in the past two weeks to right the island nation, with as much resourcefulness as the nature took to shake it. And I count blessings.