Tsunamis,
Tears & Hope
by Asoka Selvarajah
All our minds are captured with
the events going on in Asia in the wake of the most devastating Tsunamis
in living memory. It reminds us of the the temporary and uncertain nature
of life. People went to precisely those destinations in order to celebrate
the New Year, and in doing so, they headed to their own deaths in their
thousands.
Perhaps it is hard at this time to see much to celebrate about this sad
matter. Nevertheless, the world is pulling together to help, in a way that
has not been seen in recent years. It is a healthy tendency and definitely
one to feel heartened about. After all the dire fearful moods that have
been holding sway in recent years, this change should be welcomed and
encouraged.
Since
9/11, the world has been dominated by a a terrorized and fearful
negativity. Yet the Tsunami wave, while creating a huge wave of
human suffering in its wake, has also simultaneously released a Tsunami of
compassion within the collective consciousness of humanity. This force of
compassion has been building up for years, just waiting to be unleashed.
Sadly, it has had little opportunity for expression, thanks to the fearful
negative attitudes of both governments and their peoples worldwide.
However, those same governments must now ride the Tsunami wave of
compassion that has been released, or risk being shipwrecked by it and
left to look out of step with the times. The people of the world have
seemingly been liberated from the spell of fear and contraction that has
hypnotized them. They have instead, at least for now, embraced the polar
opposite; courage and generosity in the face of adversity, expansion and
compassion.
This
disaster has stressed the interconnected nature of our world. It is not
just something that happened far away and therefore has got nothing to do
with the rest of us. It involves us all. There were British, Germans,
Swedes, Italians, Americans, French, Dutch and more killed in their
hundreds and thousands, as well as Sri Lankans, Indians, Thai and
Malaysian peoples.
When
disaster of this magnitude strikes, it affects us all. There is no
"them" and "us" anymore.
Life
is ephemeral at best, and events like these make that very clear. As the
saying goes, "Man proposes and God disposes". We wish each other
"Happy New Year", and laugh and drink the night under the
shimmering sparks of the firework displays. However, we really never know
what that year might really bring. You can say Happy New Year", and
be dead just days later. Indeed, you may never even get the chance to say
it. This was the case for many in Asia in late 2004.
Rather
than being surprised, astonished or saddened that such events take place,
we might rather stand grateful that they do not happen more often. The era
in which humanity has flourished, i.e. the last few thousand years, has
been one of almost unprecedented quietness, geologically speaking. Indeed,
this may partly explain why humanity was able to scramble for, and gain,
the foothold upon which our civilization was subsequently built.
The
entire human race was almost wiped out during the violent geological
upheavals around 10,000 BC that followed the retreat of the glaciers at
the end of the last ice age. For most of the time, the earth is far more
turbulent and unstable than it has been for the past few thousand years.
We should be grateful that events of this nature have so far only claimed
a tiny fraction of the world's, and indeed Asia's, population.
The
grip that terrorism has had upon the world's psyche, spread largely by
governments in order to advance their own private agendas, seems to be at
least temporarily broken. Let us hope this can continue and that they can
never again hold their peoples' minds hostage as they have been doing of
late.
This
may be one of the best opportunities that the people of our planet has
received for there to be a great coming together. Just as 9/11 seemed to
propel our world into a downward negative spiral, let us hope that this
event can lead us in the opposite direction. Let it serve to propel our
thinking away from fear-based contraction, and towards compassionate and
courageous expansion.
In
conclusion, despite the enormous sadness that we all feel about what has
happened, let us all be determined to allow it to make a historical
difference in our lives. Let us swear that we will focus our minds upon
expansion, compassion, and the love of universal humanity. Let us put away
the self-centered defensiveness, the fear-filled contraction, the support
for warmongering, and the willingness to listen to and believe cynical and
manipulative propaganda.
This is a new day and the Sun is shining. Let's enjoy it and use it, for
the good of all.
Copyright
Asoka Selvarajah 2005. All Rights Reserved.
__________________
Asoka
Selvarajah is a writer on personal growth and spirituality, and the
author of "The 7 Golden Secrets To Knowing Your Higher Self".
His work helps people achieve their full potential, deepen their
understanding of mystical truth, and discover their soul's purpose. You
can subscribe to his FREE ezine, and get his FREE ebook "Inner Light
Outer Wealth" at:
http://www.aksworld.com/AspireToWisdom.htm
