Sunday, January 02, 2005
Happy new year! Time really flies, doesnt it? It's already 2005! Though it hasnt been a very pleasant year but we should always try n hope for a better year in 2005. I read in Straits Time today that one of the most enjoyable things to look forward to is that there are plenty of long weekends! Guess that is a good news for all working people but for students who are studying is probably more and more make up lectures and tutorials.
But while we hope for the better things, we should not forget lessons of the past. The tsunami disaster marking the end of 2004 came as a hit to us all over the world. We witness the tragdey on news, we listened to the accounts of the surviviors and we wept with the relatives of the victims. We donate and we pray. But one thing we have never done is to stop and reflect on what this tragedy actually taught us:
1. Never judge a book by its cover.
The tsunami was first seen as a very small and harmless wave from afar with wat is similar to white foams on it. Only an experienced beach goer will detect the tsunami. Thus as long as you detect any thing extraordinary on the beach or anywhere else, you should always be cautious.
2. Put yourself in others shoes.
Recently, there has been alot of charity activities being held to help different damaged countries. But why is there an overwhelming response of clothes? Cos the people are too rich with only excess clothes to spare? Shouldnt the first thing you think of donating is medications? I am not objecting clothes donation actually as long as you do donate i think that makes a huge difference in their lives already but as i think about it and put myself in the locals shoes over at India, I would need money and medication rather than clothes to wear. Clothes to me might just be too extravagent in a time like this. But pple do continue your generous donations hopefully now in what they ask for specifically (as i saw in mich's blog) panadol, milk powder etc.
Lastly this isnt a lesson but a BIG APPLAUSE to those who stayed to help rather than coming back. They have made a larger difference than anyone of us here in Singapore. Through SARS we found heros of doctors and nurses, through this tsunami incident, we found heros of common people like you and me. Salution to all.
Pinked it at 1:05 AM
-******************************************-
