Are we losing humanity?

hungry residents of turukana,kenya

I saw two teens lying next to a burst sewer. The ground was damp, plastic bags littered all over and a bad odor emanated from the raw sewage. I wondered how the two end up sleeping there. How come the bad smell didn’t deprive them of the much needed sleep? Did they have a home? People who cared? What happens when it rains and everybody else retreats to their cozy homes? What happens when they get sick? Do they attend school? Why do some people have plenty and others nothing? Is it we who choose the conditions of our lives or nature does that for us? What steps can they take to change their lives for better? 

Just a little farther I saw a disabled woman, both limbs paralyzed and under-developed climbing down a 40-steps staircase of the newly constructed footbridge along Thika road. Did she climb all by herself? Where was she headed? People hurried by without giving her a second glance, preoccupied by thoughts of their own problems. Did anyone care about her? Does she have kids? How does she earn her living? Why does she have to suffer? I’m told every being has challenges in their lives but do some have bigger problems than others? Is nature biased against some people? I was amazed by her zeal to go through that torturous process without giving up, a step at a time. What drives her? what can she do to make her life a lot more pleasant?

I try to understand why do human beings have to suffer? Does anything positive come from it? Why are we cruel against one another? Why do we rejoice in other people’s downfall? What happened to sense of humanity? Why don’t we care a damn about others? Can anything be done to reverse this? What can you do about it? What can I do?

I’ve had numerous questions go through my mind about how the world runs. We don’t choose the kind of society or situation we are born in. Through determination we can achieve what we want. I have heard many stories of great men and women who beat great odds, faced great obstacles and won to be where they are today. Did they have someone to facilitate this transformation or did it all by themselves?

I think as we all work towards solving our own issues, we should spend a little more time caring about the neighbor.try to be a little more humane. Help that blind man cross the road, share some food with the hungry kid, and donate some clothes to the girl in tatters. Living in the cities shouldn’t make us cold and blind towards other people suffering. if everyone care just a little more about another soul, help without expecting anything in return then the world will be a better place. Heaven on earth.

by lammergeier