A UC Berkeley seismologist said that the epicenter of yesterday's 4.2 earthquake was on the Lafayette faultline. He said that even though the minor earthquake measured from a depth of 10 miles (versus the usual 5 mile depth) which causes more people to feel the effect, it is still an insignificant tremor.
Because the previous earthquakes have only measured about 3.4 on Richter, yesterday's 4.2 felt as more powerful and shocking. We were jolted out of our indifference last night. More and more, these quakes have impressed on me a greater sense of mortality...
It hasn't slipped my mind that for two years now the quakes have occured in the Lenten season, a time when we all, theoretically, remember the meaning of Christ's sacrifice, when we repent of our negligence and wastefulness, and renew our commitments as members of a Body of faith.
The human race has neglected and abused this planet for so long, it isn't surprising that Mother Earth is sighing and shifting in impatience -- impatience at the slow pace with which we respond to the changes that are occurring, and impatience at our resistance to being proactive in preserving our planet.
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