Time to change

As I write, I can still feel the ground shuddering. ‘No it’s just my mind that’s playing this game’, I communicate to myself but yet throw my eyes suddenly to the glass of water for reconfirmation. We shook tremendously, our hearts sank and we believed for quite some time that we would die.

Death wasn’t welcome yet, we were not prepared to give up yet. Nevertheless, another jolt that resurfaced would try its chance to shake away our courage and love of life. What we knew about earthquakes, our logic and knowledge had no place at all as we remained in a state of massive uncertainty. Uncertainty is powerful, and how it can change your life is amazing!

During the time of uncertainty as this, it is easy to be helpless. Many people feel powerless and insignificant. Their primary perception could be that even if they did everything right in their personal lives, their welfare at this point is at the mercy of action of others. Saddened by dreadful tremors, perplexed by the massive economic losses and overwhelmed by uncertainty, people can easily fall into the mindset of helplessness.

But in contrast, what we all need to know deep inside is that more crippling than the disaster is not taking any action. This is arguably an opportunity to take action to change our lives and that of others. And perhaps, this point of time has been the first time we are empowered to take control of our lives and awaken to the conviction that we are truly the principal of our own fate and destiny. Nature has played its part, and perhaps, it has more in store.

Avoiding this is not in our control, but what we truly control is to address the power of our decisions, actions and character to reshape the future of our community and our country at large. What happens to us tomorrow will be based on the collective decisions we make today about how to deal with the current challenge of widespread destruction, economic disaster, loss of the loved ones, ineffective authority, shortcomings of the national leadership and responsibility bias. Uncertainty has always demanded unity.

Growth is cumulative. How our future will be shaped is usually not the result of one catastrophic event like now although it may look that way presently. Rather it is determined hugely by decisions we make and actions we take. Seen vividly in the aftermath of the calamity, the insufficiency in distribution and rescue, inhuman activities, self-fullfilling prophecies etc. are the problems caused by human

behaviour.