For the past 2 weeks or even more, every time I check the news, I look for updates on Chennai, the rains, the flood, the relief. Why do I care so much when I am living more than 1000 kms away?? Chennai is my city, my home; it was where I spent 5 important years of my life, most of friends and my family live in Chennai.
Of late, Chennai has been witnessing the worst rains and floods, nature’s fury was unleased as rains lashed mercilessly but Chennai has also witnessed peaks of humanity. Very few disasters have had such response from within its people. The expanse of the help rendered by Chennaiiteis is unbelievable. It is not NGOs or government that took initiatives. It was every day Chennaiites who opened their homes, distributed food, offered rides. A lot of corporate companies, franchises have also come forward to support each other. It has also spread to other neighbouring cities like Bangalore as well. It’s amazing h
ow one tragedy can bring people from all walks of life together and make them so selfless.
But the one question amidst all this is, Do only tragedies unite us as a state, country, as people and as humanity? The Nirbhaya rape, Mumbai attack, the Chennai Floods or the Paris attack; what is it about grief and suffering that brings us together that happiness and joy cannot do? Are we able to share others grief but not celebrate their victories? I am not sure what the answer is, but sure, I and almost every 
single human being would prefer that it was a celebration and not a tragedy that brings us together. Do we have to wait for yet another tragedy to appreciate our neighbours and friends? Shouldn’t we unite for a better government, unite for prevention of natural disasters, prevention of injustice.
It is amazing now we can stand together in grief and pain and this is important but I think it is also important to appreciate people we live with every day. It is important to unite to celebrate, unite for justice, and unite to celebrate other’s victory, and finally unite to make the world a better place.
Finally, I leave you with this question to ponder upon: why do our tragedies unites us but not our good times?
Note: Please do continue to pray for Chennai and its people.
Ageless and Ordinary 