The devastating sights of fire displacing thousands of people from the residential areas and many loosing houses and property, some losing their family members make us feel distressed about the fury of wind and fire.
It was when I watched the pair of Bulbuls in our garden yesterday, I remembered the loss birds, reptiles and domestic pets suffer during this fire. The loss of vegetation would leave vast stretch of land exposed to wild overgrowth, another trigger of wild fire later. The bird life would have been hit with nests and nestlings consumed by fire. The loss of fruit bearing trees, kitchen gardens or cultivated land or livestock would be another sorrowful aspect of this devastation.
I thought of children who had to move out of their homes, where they had their play room, garden around the house, swimming pool, toys and books and a neighbourhood of friends, parks and school to go to.
The trauma of loss, affects adults and children alike, although at different levels of perception and awareness. The post-traumatic stress effects are already being observed in families who had to relocate. Another stress and strain of rebuilding the lives would be a grief stricken experience for many.
Sometimes one feels that the leaders of the world whom we expected to feel with those in distress have remained distant from people in need. I feel suspicious of the president elect of the USA as he gets ready to take charge, about his feeling heart as wealth, visibility and power seem to be the motives in his thinking.
This reminded me of the loss of environment, wild life, pets, schools, gardens, family members, and homes in places like Ukraine, Ghaza, Lebanon, Iran where violence and fighting continue!
The generation of school going children in these places grow up experiencing the loss and grief war and experiencing violence in their lives.
A trauma care team is in Wayanad, where hundreds lost their family members, homes and property in a landslide few months ago. A psychologist mentioned how distressed adults and children feel as they experience the harsh realities of recovery, with no house to return to or resources to rebuild their lives!
The loss and grief in any situation of devastation will stay with people for long!
It was even more disturbing to see how laymen and priests in a diocese of the Catholic Church are agitating over rituals and practices which led to police action and arrest of few priests! Does it matter if you pray turning to East or West! The matters of controversy are as trivial as this.
A world in distress; too many suffer undeservedly; politics of extremism more common than before ! Where are the 'peace makers' and advocates of the message of Prince of peace, whose birth we remembered at Christmas time.
The two Bulbuls in our garden represented to me all those who silently suffer and feel alone!
A local church recently celebrated its annual festival. They decided to abandon the annual fire works! What a noble thought! They allocated the money saved to build two houses, who live in adverse situations!
A bad news remains in the news till the media engages it. There after, the many who suffer live alone facing the distress! Should it be that way!
We live in a society when the judicial system of one country exonerates a person from an earlier criminal activity, because he is elected as the president of that country!
The saving grace to heal people and communities are through acts of kindness and deeds of mercy.
The Christian Medical College celebrate its 125th anniversary this year, when the institution and the diaspora of professionals trained there, would remember its founder Dr Ida Scudder, who brought acts of kindness and deeds of mercy to people of Vellore in 1900.
"God of our life through all encircling years,
We trust in Thee.
In all the past, through all our hopes and fears,
Thy hand we see.
With each new day, when morning lifts the veil,
We own Thy mercies, Lord which never fail.
God of our past, our times are in Thy hand;
With us abide.
Lead us by faith to hope's true promised land;
Be Thou our guide.
With Thee to bless, the darkness shines as light,
And faith's frair vision changes into sight.
God of the coming years, through paths unknown,
We follow Thee.
When we are strong, Lord, leave us not alone;
Our refuge be.
Be Thou for us in life our Daily Bread,
Our heart's true home when all our years have sped".
(Hugh T.Kerr)
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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