Date : 01.09.2018

As I was driving my car down the busy Kaloor-Kadavanthara road, the vehicle in front of me braked suddenly. I too slammed the brakes, but lightly bumped the vehicle in front of me. I dreaded what was to follow – a slanging match with four letter words going to and fro; bystanders and onlookers jumping into the fray to play judge, jury and executioner.

The car in front of me didn’t stop immediately. A left side indicator came up and the car parked to the left of the road. I thought this strange, as the first reaction after such an incident usually is not to move your vehicle until the blame has been established beyond doubt. It doesn’t matter if you are inconveniencing everyone else by blocking the entire road. I too, followed and parked my car on the left hand side just behind the vehicle I had hit. Now the driver of the vehicle got out, and I got out. I apologized to him saying that it’s my fault. He quickly said it’s ok. I was shocked as we shook hands and left. I got into my car and came back home.

What had just happened, I wondered. I realised that people’s behaviour had changed – no bystanders or onlookers had come shouting, the driver had acted benevolently towards me and I had apologized without trying to establish who’s right or wrong.

I asked myself – Could this be a new Kerala being rebuilt, with people helping each other, willing to understand each other and being kind to each other. I hope so … As I speak to different people in Kerala, the same story keeps coming up – the story is about how everyone tried to do whatever they could do, to help those more in need. To echo the words of a soldier during the Kerala Floods – Everywhere I look for victims, all I see are heroes.

I am sure today, that a compassionate spirit has touched all of us and God willing will make us better individuals and our society a more inclusive one, where the mind is without fear and the head is held high !!

This was a reflection by my husband during his recent visit to Kochi, Kerala after the devastating floods.