Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Holding on to
By The Scribe
As the age old phrase goes “hope springs eternal in the human breast,” I must concur, because it’s only hope, that can put a grateful smile on the face of the tsunami victim receiving a meal at a shelter; hope, that keeps the thousands of volunteers working tirelessly around the clock; hope, that unites complete strangers regardless of race, religion or class, to work towards one cause… The thread of hoping for a brighter more enlightened tomorrow is all the nation is clinging on to, in this time of complete desolation.

With the local death toll rising by the minute, our country is currently facing the biggest destruction of man and infrastructure. Leaving more than a million displaced, and over 250,000 homeless and thousands missing, the tidal wave that struck our motherland last Sunday, washed away with it not just thousands of lives, but entire livelihoods as well. The one thing that can be said though, is that when nature strikes, unlike in conflicts initiated by man, it strikes across the board, with little regard for wealth, status, age, caste or creed.

There were mothers, holding a child in each hand, watching as their children were washed away before their eyes. There were husbands who have not glimpsed the sight of their wives since the wave crashed through their home, holiday-makers who were either making their way back to the city or were still on holiday who were just washed off the road or the beaches, and millions of people who are yet unsure of the whereabouts of their loved ones. Unfortunately, however unintentional it may have been, the majority affected were fisher-folk and their families, who if lucky enough to survive, had little else but the clothes on their back left. To all of these people, hope may seem to be the furthermost thought from their mind, but then again what keeps them going? Even if it’s by seeking solace from life around us, it is hope that acts as the driving force.

With our country being at its lowest ebb, we should not lose hope, instead we must ensure that it catches on and spreads rapidly across the land as that’s all we have left. It’s been proven time and again that nothing in life is definite. Life and all our possessions are fickle and temporary, with hope being one of the few things that are real.

The government and people in authority need to come clean and recognise the power of the people and treat them with the respect that they well deserve. The aftermath of this catastrophe will be as bad, if not worse, as we face the widespread disease, infrastructure destruction and displacement issues. That is when we’ll have to have something to believe in, as we won’t be able to see through it alone. The key is to work together, regardless of pre-conceived notions and prejudices. This state of national distress must act as an eye opener to our society to end futile conflict and work as one with a solitary mind-set – ‘one nation, one people.’

Our country has come to a saturation point. Too much crime, too much corruption, too much vice, indifference, etc. In short, too much evil. It’s tragic that the revelation had to be this immense, but what would be more tragic is if even in this situation its enormity is to pass us by, resulting in no change in the system and the hearts and minds of the people. Herein, would lie the real tragedy...hope

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