Is it just me or do we not feel as much as we used to anymore?
Is it such that even when a tragedy unfolds close to us, we don't feel as much as we are meant to? Have we placed our hearts far from what we deem as humanity?
It's like we don't care. Maybe we feel that for whatever reason there is, we don't need to care. it's like we tell ourselves that 'they aren't the first and they won't be the last', so never mind. Maybe there's that inevitable feeling of guilt that we're trying to deny.
Maybe we feel that we don't need to care- for there are tragedies of a more personal nature on a day by day basis and that they are more important than anything else in the world.
That's not exactly wrong a thought.
Yet, as much as we wish for empathy and understanding in some of our situations, as much as we could extend our own hands of empathy and understanding. Guilt or no guilt, it does not matter what we speak or do not speak. There are facts that do not change, and sweeping them beneath the cloak of rational factorship changes them not one bit at all.
For there they are, right here, right now, in our streets, in our malls, in our food courts, in our restaurants. There they are, trying on clothes, buying presents, spritzing on perfumes, rummaging through their purses and their wallets, eating the foods that gladden them the most.
There they are, in our various tourism spots, at the zoo, gazing at the tigers, the pandas, the giraffes. There they are, at Universal Studios Singapore, munching on popcorn, going the rides, snapping pictures with their cameras and taking selfies with their mobiles.
Is it such that even when a tragedy unfolds close to us, we don't feel as much as we are meant to? Have we placed our hearts far from what we deem as humanity?
It's like we don't care. Maybe we feel that for whatever reason there is, we don't need to care. it's like we tell ourselves that 'they aren't the first and they won't be the last', so never mind. Maybe there's that inevitable feeling of guilt that we're trying to deny.
Maybe we feel that we don't need to care- for there are tragedies of a more personal nature on a day by day basis and that they are more important than anything else in the world.
That's not exactly wrong a thought.
Yet, as much as we wish for empathy and understanding in some of our situations, as much as we could extend our own hands of empathy and understanding. Guilt or no guilt, it does not matter what we speak or do not speak. There are facts that do not change, and sweeping them beneath the cloak of rational factorship changes them not one bit at all.
For there they are, right here, right now, in our streets, in our malls, in our food courts, in our restaurants. There they are, trying on clothes, buying presents, spritzing on perfumes, rummaging through their purses and their wallets, eating the foods that gladden them the most.
There they are, in our various tourism spots, at the zoo, gazing at the tigers, the pandas, the giraffes. There they are, at Universal Studios Singapore, munching on popcorn, going the rides, snapping pictures with their cameras and taking selfies with their mobiles.
And not only there are they.
There they are, too, in our hospitals, in our clinics, seeing our doctors, our nurses, our clinical staff, our prescriptions, our expertise- for the medical hope they need for years of living and of life.
You know what, beyond the maybe, we really ought to feel- for we've seen them. Whether we welcome them or not, whether we wonder why they are here or not, the fact is that we've seen them, we've connected with them and for that instant, we've interacted with them.
There they are, too, in our hospitals, in our clinics, seeing our doctors, our nurses, our clinical staff, our prescriptions, our expertise- for the medical hope they need for years of living and of life.
You know what, beyond the maybe, we really ought to feel- for we've seen them. Whether we welcome them or not, whether we wonder why they are here or not, the fact is that we've seen them, we've connected with them and for that instant, we've interacted with them.
And this is why we really ought to feel.
because it was a choice.
it was a choice to come here.
it was a choice to make this place for fun, for help, for hope,
for shopping, for school, for work, for business, for a time...
and it was a choice
to make this last day of the year here in this place.
it was a choice
to pass the last day of this year happily here
with fireworks and song and champagne and party hats and fun.
They could have chosen anywhere else. They could have decided that they'd spend a quiet one at home with their loved ones. They could have chosen any other destination. They didn't have to choose here. They didn't need to.
But they did, and because they did, something happened, and they are now no more. There will be goodbyes said. There will be farewells wept. But stop coming they will not, I sincerely hope.
Because we are all earthlings, and we are all humanity.
Because we are all earthlings, and we are all humanity.