It's not my fault. I didn't cause the hurricane, or the flooding. I am not responsible for the slowness of the emergency response. It's not my fault, so why do I feel guilty?

I went to Costco today to pick up necessities. As I walked down almost empty aisles packed with food, as I passed three pallets of bottled water, I wanted to cry. Reaching for ice cream for my children, I felt guilty because so many children won't taste ice cream for awhile. I wondered how the people of Costco, both the employees and the shoppers, could handle our plenty when there is nothing on the gulf coast for thousands of people.

Costco is handling it by asking each customer if they would like to donate money to the Red Cross with their order. Amazing. I bet they get a lot of donations that way. And a good way to alleviate some of the guilt.

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Driving home, I heard on the radio all the countries that are pledging money and oil and help. England and Israel and the usual suspects - but also Cuba, and Venezuela. Yesterday Bush said we'd take care of our own (a stupid philosophy - it's nice that countries we've helped are helping us); today Condi Rice said no offer that will help will be refused. A much better answer.

But when I heard that even Sri Lanka is donating $25,000 - that's when the tears fell. They are still recovering from their own tragedy, and here they are, helping us.