Recently, our public utilities board announced a 7% price hike in the electricity charges, citing the reason being the increase in oil prices. This brings to mind a recent TV news broadcast on the devastating effects of hurricane Katrina on the state of New Orleans in the US. Being on the other side of the world (Asia), catastrophies of such nature in gigantic proportion seem so remote to us, even though many of us sympathized with the victims.
However, the truth is we are living in an ever-shrinking earth, in which the repercussions of what happens in one part of the world, may just ripple its way across the globe. Such is the case with hurricane Katrina, and also the more recent Rita. Fears of oil fields stopping production due to the foul weather has sent the already high petroleum prices soaring further. Inadvertently, all industrialized countries which rely heavily on oil import felt the economic backlash. And once utilities and public transport charges go up, the cost of daily necessities of life will follow. One thing leads to another, just like a chain reaction...
So what important lesson does the Katrina episode has to teach us? On a worldwide scale, we are not isolated, neither disaffected by what happens to other people. There is a need to respond to such incidents instead of choosing to be morbid or indifferent, because one day when such a thing happens in our backyard, it may be our turn to depend on others to give us a helping hand. Closer to home, each of us need to realize that we cannot take things for granted, as if what we have and enjoy today will always be there indefinitely. The tides may change, and then suddenly we'll wake up to the fact that what we think we're entitled to, isn't.
Everyday from now on, we should learn to treat people nicely, especially those who care enough about us to share their lives with ours. It's better this way, don't you think so?
dozo okarada o taisetsu ni.
No comments:
Post a Comment