Beyond Limits

Hurricane Katrina had wiped out many families in the United States. This created a lot of sympathy around the world. It reminded us of the Boxing Day Tsunami in Phuket in 2004, killing many innocent lives. The tsunami was much closer to our home, only to be saved by the Indonesian Islands.

As people around the world gathered to help the poor souls in the States, I wondered, why didn't those who survived help each other, when they were closer to the victims as compared to waiting for the help from across the globe. Yet the victims themselves were stealing, robbing and raping the other people, who were in equally sorry state as they were. Does it take a disaster to show the ugly side of mankind? Maybe we can begin looking from a micro view as compared to such a big and threatening picture.

I was doing work in the library today. Concentrating on my work, I was deep in thought. A group of girls came and sat near me. They started chatting. They got louder. And louder. "Hey! This is a library. What's up, man?" I thought. Why weren't they considerate enough to lower their voices in the library? Why weren't they sensitive enough to be aware of the people around? Did they think that they were the only ones in the library? Irritated by them, I politely told them to speak softly. Count their blessings that I controlled my temper and did not get up and ask them to shut their gaps. I was fuming. They disturbed my thoughts. I carried on with my work but could no longer concentrate. I left.

It takes only a few self centered people to make the world a nasty place. They may think it is cool to be indifferent. But beyond a certain limit, it becomes irritating. And beyond humanity, it becomes unforgivable.