The Tsunami

The Tsunami that hit the southern part of India, Sri Lanka, Andaman’s and Indonesia left an expanse of death, destruction, despair and tears. An unimaginable amount of grief befell innocent people who woke up to the cruel knocking of the Tsunami at their doors.

But, life as they say must go on. Thousands of relief workers worked and are still working to offer some solace to the Tsunami stricken. Many organizations set up relief camps. Help poured in, in cash as well as in kind.

A young film star went to one of these villages with a group of friends and set up a relief camp for the poor and traumatised Tsunami stricken. One day, he came across a group of young boys playing in the debris. He offered food and clothing to them. The boys accepted them gladly. The film star was happy to see the smiles on their faces. Each day he would distribute food etc among these people. Their smiles were his earnings for the day. He noticed that one of these boys accepted the food and clothes but he never smiled! So the film star took him aside and questioned him.

“All the boys play happily now, my boy, but you always seem to be sad, why don’t you smile?” he asked. The boy replied, “Oh! It’s nothing.” But the film star pestered him to speak up. Finally the boy spoke in a shaky voice, “There is a hole in my heart. My father is a labourer. He had been saving money, for my operation, since I was born. The Tsunami waves washed away our little hut. All the money was washed away. Now my surgery cannot be done. I shall not live for much longer.” His eyes were full as he spoke.

“But the medical relief camps are providing free medical aid. Has your father spoken to them about this?” asked the film star. “He has, but they say that they can provide medical help only to those who are Tsunami-stricken. My problem is ten years old. It is not a Tsunami affliction,” replied the boy in a broken voice.

“If that be so, I shall take you to the city. I shall have you operated upon. You too have a right to live like all the others,” said the film star softly. “But, I’m a Muslim and you must be a …” said the boy innocently. “What about it? You are a human being! I will do whatever I can for you,” the film star replied compassionately. The little boy looked up at the film star disbelievingly. He hugged the boy and promised help. Soon the boy was taken to a city hospital in Mumbai by the film star. The boy’s father did not know whether this was just a dream or reality.

It was a long surgery. But it had a happy ending. The boy’s father realized that it wasn’t just a dream, when he saw his son, sitting up in the bed in the cardiac care unit, smiling! The film star said to the surgeon “Today you have made great difference in the life of our young friend here… he smiles now!”

To the world, this wonderful film star said in appeal, “Let’s have another Tsunami! A Tsunami of love, caring, sharing and hope; a Tsunami that shall be mighty enough to wipe the tears brought by the first one. Sure the dead can never be brought back. But love and caring can surely dull the ache from the void in the life of our Tsunami stricken brethren.”

Bhagawan Baba says, “The heart full of compassion is the temple of God.”