Those of a religious bent may find this a good time to offer up a few prayers - firstly for our South Island cousins struggling to recover from Saturday's earthquake, and secondly, in thanks that it wasn't worse, and that it wasn't here.
Of course we know that if it were us
picking up the pieces of our shattered homes and lives, we could count on the generosity of our fellow Kiwis to help us through, as we're witnessing and will continue to witness over the coming weeks and months in Canterbury.
Distanced as we are from events in and around Christchurch, it's hard to imagine just how much of a jolt the southern psyche has suffered and how hard they're finding it.
One of the worst things must be the continuing fear and uncertainty as aftershocks punctuate and hamper the slow recovery of a broken community.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker described yesterday the tears of emergency services workers after a massive aftershock rattled further these already rattled people.
"A lot of people are very, very churned up," he said.
"When will this thing end? It is like living in a maelstrom. ... This is a hammer blow to the spirit of a lot of people."
Experts have said further large aftershocks could still come.
It's necessary but frightening information that leaves a region on tenterhooks.
And this is just the beginning.
Once the shaking has subsided, the rubble has been gathered up and disposed of, and a few smiles return to Canterbury faces, they will still have to face years of rebuilding and recovery.
We asked in this column yesterday that you consider giving what you can for those in need.
Today we ask again.
As detailed on today's front page, The Daily Post and our owner APN News & Media have joined the fundraising effort for Canterbury earthquake victims with an initial company contribution of $100,000 to the Christchurch Mayoral Earthquake Appeal, which will be administered by the Red Cross.
Please click here for details on how you can help too.
And thank you in advance for doing so.
