Triumph of Human Spirit

The recent calamity that struck Kerala has shown how important it is to have good neighbours or how important it is to have good relationship with people next door. Over the years, through a combination of factors, Kerala had emerged as a model state, ensuring certain levels of prosperity, social well-being and equality. But with modernism and urban self-sufficiency, people do tend to become more selfcentred. But the latent compassionate spirit in us does seem to emerge in times of crisis. During the floods, total strangers cooperating with one another turned benefactors and the desire to be useful to another when danger enveloped the whole area revealed the triumph of human spirit. An awareness of a shared destiny took over people’s hearts. Good neighbourliness became the norm. The threat of imminent destruction achieved in a few days, what years of profuse religiosity could not. You don’t need any qualification to extend a helping hand to those in need. You only need a heart that feels for another fellow being in need. There is much discussion as to why such destruction visited a people, who are so wellendowed and favoured. There are tales of awful happenings, unique deeds of sacrifice and bravery, human capacity to endure hardships for a noble end. But the movement from individuals’ mere private lives and concern with moneymaking, housebuilding, amassing power and influence for oneself to a social consciousness of the need to help the one in need — triggered by the tragedy — will be long remembered

Source: Economic Times, 18/09/2018