Rememberence

Tsunami hitting the shores of Kalutara.

Exactly 4 years on ago today, tragedy struck the sunny shores of Sri Lanka.

I remember, I remember...

I was in India. Sitting on my Aunt's couch in Madurai. Everyone was just getting up after a night of Christmas cheer. "Finally, I get to watch some quality television..." thought I. After all the whole of the hols was spent travelling. We went to Chennai, Delhi, Agra, Coimbutur, Kerela...and many many more. I remember...the sights..such a myraid of color, the smells..and the FOOD...such a vast array of dishes I had never tried before.

Back to the television and the couch...

I switched onto HBO (Now why can't we have these channels in SL???...I wondered)

To my delight they were showing X-Men. Now something about me and it might be called silly, but i've always loved X-Men, from the toons to the movies.

Engrossed by the movie..i was watching the scene where Wolverine was saving the children...then the call came.

It was my uncle's sisters from France. They wanted to know if we (yes my family now in India) were safe as a Tsunami had struck Sri Lanka... A Tsumani??? Wazdat?

Of course my question was answered when everybody rushed to the t.v. and switched on news..thus ending any chance of me finding out what happened to the children and most importantly Wolverine.

Yes this is the climax where im supposed to go all teary eyed, shocked and dismayed. But honestly at that time i didn't understand. You have to forgive me but i was only 16...and this was a relatively new term for me.

I couldn't understand how a wave...A WAVE mind you could wreck such mayhem. Ok maybe more than one wave..and such a huge one in that.

It was only weeks later that i fully understood the magnitude...and the sorrow.

Till today people here along the coastal belt especially on the east and south are trying to rebulind their lives. Many have lost everything. Its a sad reminder that life is something we cannot take for granted...

Which is why I do urge anyone who is reading this to re examine their lives. God has blessed us with only one life..no matter what u believe this life your living comes only once. You will never get it again. The message of Christmas that we can carry forward to this day of rememberence is that Christ came to this earth because God loveed this world. No matter what your loss God loves you...He longs to reach out for you...

BUt its all up to you...

Where ever you are, who ever you are...remember the fallen. Let their lives speak out to you.