A different beach experience!

This beach had hundreds during the normal times, but since the COVID season the number of people visiting the beach has reduced drastically. During the three hours we were there, there were no customers at the two ice cream shops. There were more life guards than visitors at the beach.  Both the shop keepers had upto ten thousand rupees collection on week ends; now they do not even get one hundred rupees on certain days. Listening to their awful story was disturbing to say the least!

The post-COVID economic rehabilitation is least effective to those engaged in small enterprises like this. They suffer silently and beyond what they can endure. 

I get a sense that the local government has suffered loss heavily with poor tax revenues, that   the reviving of the economy by support from the government is far from  a reality. 

 What I heard from the visionary action of the ice cream shop owners at the beach opened my eyes to the power of collective thoughtful action.  Ten of the ice cream parlour owners decided to open their shops on all week ends and but on other days by turn, each getting an opportunity to open the shops two days apart from during the week ends. This has reduced their expenses and has given them better prospects of maintaining themselves form bankruptcy. 

Life remains frozen for many people following the economic meltdown during the last two years. 

A small ready made garment shop owner did not earn enough for the last two years that his pending rental payment has exceeded one hundred thousand rupees. The owner is threatening to vacate him. With no sign of economic recovery, he is at a loss how he would tide over the crisis. His next option is to sell a small property that he is able to sustain himself! 

A local church started a new scheme of one family adopting another family in distress to support them. One family where the father is working in a office which has a canteen helped the other family to make samosa. He collects fifty samosa each day and the canteen sells it and gives the proceeds to the family. The income of rupees two hundred was the only income for this family following the loss of his job as a helper in a restaurant.  What a thoughtful way of supporting a family while in distress, all because of the presbyter of the church,  who initiated the family twinning programme!

The post-COVID season is an opportune time to be mindful of others. Many suffer silently. We have people encroaching into our property to gather whatever they can to make both ends meet. Although I felt annoyed, I was speechless when I saw a man returning from our property with bagful of nutmeg fruits. It is a new habit in our neighbourhood. 

How the economic distress is draining families of their moral equilibrium!

This is the time to live generously and hospitably by doing everything we can to reduce the stress under which people live!

Since the department where I work offered concession for different services, we have more parents visiting us! 

We have the key to open the door of opportunity to others around us  in need. 

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)