United we stand

The world has become smaller to alleviate each other's sufferings, writes Vijay Dutt.

What can one say when nature turns its magnificent beauty and serenity into a barbaric roll, thunder and tremors. The catastrophe struck South Asia in the midst of Christmas festivity in London. December indeed means clear blue skies almost all over the world, when we all plan to holiday and enjoy. But all of a sudden we were reminded, even those who were crowding stores for the last minute shopping spree, how fragile we are when nature decides to unleash its might. When it decides to tells us, rather cruelly, that it still is the master despite the mankind's efforts to harness its resources to its advantage. But then out of the calamity we are also learning that the world is more close and united than ever before.

The world has become smaller, and if nature breaks its normal calmness to hurt us, we too break barriers, to get together, to share the grief and rise above all differences to try alleviate each other's sufferings. Foreigners staying at resorts helped local families who lost everything. The locals lent their clothes and tended to the immediate needs of foreigners. One heard at Heathrow many tales from returning Britons how some Sri Lankans gave clothes to them.

Each of the British survivors arriving here had a horror story. Bedraggled and in borrowed clothes they told of their relief, their attempts to save others and horrific scenes they witnessed. Many said they owed their lives to the bravery of the local people. They were given shelter by families who shared what little food they managed to salvage. Many were given clothes by strangers, some of whom had lost their loved ones. But they had not lost compassion.

The media here has forgotten all about the festivities and has been concentrating on nothing else but reporting on the grisly disaster. Groups and aid agencies have gone into full gear in raising funds and other resources to reach help to the victims.

The TV and media coverage reflects a shared sense of loss. I was stopped a number of times by strangers who wanted to know if my family or friends were safe. Many Asians had gone to airports to show sympathy for survivors who had been flown in to London. At least 30 organisations and groups of different faiths have met to pool their resources for reaching help to the people in affected areas. It was nice to see people of various religions all under one roof discussing the eyewitness accounts which are emerging now.

The 9/11 had brought people together but it was due to a political act. Differences did linger. But here it was an act of nature and there is universal acceptance that nature can be cruel, but life must go on. The world has risen united to show that the mankind that has inherited the earth is not meek.
It is interesting to see how different countries have moved to help the "neighbours" Australia immediately sent four planes to Sumatra. Britain has moved to help victims in Sri Lanka and India.

There is a message this week. Nature might have wobbled the Earth and moved its axis by an inch, but the whole world has moved too, breaking all barriers and boundaries to keep its equilibrium. Life is about something much more than the present moment.