Dis-ease and Death

I was coming home this afternoon, feeling quite refreshed and healthy after being to the gym. It was a good workout and my body felt strong and my mind relaxed. Then, suddenly, I came around the corner of the street that leads to our house and there was a police car with the lights flashing and a group of people standing around. I couldn't see any cars or even a pedestrian( thank goodness!), but I knew something was wrong. Then it came into view, there was a dead bird and since the Avian flu has been making its way closer and closer to our city, I knew what this meant. I could see from everyone's expression the dis-ease caused by both the thought of disease and the possiblity of dying. I had the same feeling...fear, dis-ease and thought for a moment only about myself, forgetting the suffering and death of the bird. Interesting to think about how I would react if the diesease became more contagious. Would I act with compassion or with fear?