2013-01-20 - 3:47 p.m.
Some people say there is always a rainbow after the rain. We can just look up and spot it in the sky, especially if there is enough light from the sun or if it is not too polluted.
What if the clouds are still much too dark, too thick? What if the rain has not really stopped yet? What if it keeps coming back because it is just the weather we have to deal with now?
People deal with things in life differently. For those who call it 'a bad luck', they believe that their fate has been sealed - no matter what they do to (try to) change things. Those who call it 'a problem' may tend to complain, but how many of them who work their best to find a solution instead of just complaining and doing nothing? (Or worse, expecting others to clean up after them?) Hush, no fuss, and done. Just like that. Whatever the end result is, at least they have done all they could.
The massive flood is still paralyzing some parts of this city. Business is in major trouble. Many properties are in shambles, leaving people homeless, broke, hungry, thirsty, and sick. The drowning dead start turning up after days of endless inspection.
For some people, there is (well, sort of) a blessing in disguise. The lazy slobs are happy when they do not have to go to work for a while. (I hope they will not complain when they receive their paycheck.) See them roaming around the streets engulfed in murky water, pushing or dragging their big carts with human passengers or things in it. (I am not sure how much they charge for each trip from one dry spot to another.) Read the newspapers you buy and check the headlines. That is how this domino effect works.
This is also the chance for some local politicians to 'rise and shine'. It is time for them to stand in public, smile at people (and especially the media?) and show a bit of volunteer work on camera. Please excuse my sarcasm, but I believe we are aware of what is really true here. I know not all of them are like that, though.
There are also those who end up causing more unnecessary 'rift' with this turmoil. There are bitter skeptics who kill off people's spirits to survive and get back on their feet again by claiming that praying will not do any good and there is not much that can be done. They believe that this island is in the process of becoming the next Atlantis.
The big-mouths start pointing fingers around and making accusations. It is other people's faults for not doing their job for a more, proper urban maintenance. It is the on-going corruption. It is a curse from God for the sins of the infidels, the non-believers - and all that jazz.
Why don't we start paying more serious attention to the genuine souls out there? The unsung heroes who never look for glory. Common people who do extraordinary things for other people more - even without getting the credit they actually deserve. The volunteers, the saviours with real action during this crisis. Those who do not talk much - or perhaps none at all - because they are not looking for compliments nor public acknowledgement. No awards needed, because they believe it could happen to anybody.
These people see the flood as another life's constant challenge. They do not always wonder why, but they do wonder what to do next and how to avoid this from happening again - or at least reduce the outcome. They do not think:"Will I get noticed?" They only want to make sure that everybody is okay, or at least they can help as many people as possible.
Come to think of it, why do we always need another massive disaster to remind us that we actually need each other? Probably that is the kind of 'rainbow' that we often miss.
R.
