After The Flood : Of Being Responsible

Who Will be Held Responsible When School Furniture is Destroyed?

When we live in a society, we are bound to be responsible towards each other's well-being, whether in good times or bad times.  People are drawn to each other, especially when they face dangers and hardships, and those who are in the position to help, will more often than not, are always willing to extend their helping hands.

As in the case of the recent flood that occured here in this town, concerns and generousity abound, when people from all corners of the state, congregate in this town, to do what ever they could to ease the hardships of the flood victims.  One institution that is always open to the responsibility of helping others is the local school, which becomes a flood relief centre every time the natural disaster strikes.

But what concerns me most is not the school's responsibility towards the flood stricken society who put up in its premise, but the responsibilities of the victims themselves towards the school that has been generous enough to do so.  We can only share their grief emotionally but it grieves us more to see what becomes of the school, once the temporary residents leave.

Last Tuesday, one of the school staff was rushing to one of the blocks inhabited by some of the victims, where a water pipe had burst.  And as I strolled from classroom to classroom, I saw people carrying platefuls of food to their temporary abodes, having mini feasts there, when food is served in the school canteen where consumption of food should also take place.  Eating food in the classrooms would deteriorate what ever cleanliness was left when too many people take refuge.  I also noticed some people washing their soiled clothes along the classroom corridors and wringing their wet clothes right from the first floor.  And to top it all off, some of them even turned plastic student tables into makeshift beds.  Can you imagine what would happen to these bendable furniture?

People should learn to be more responsible, I guess.  If they want other people to take responsibility for their hardships, the least they can do in return is show some responsibility to the people who put up with them.  After all, kindness begets kindness.