The summer heat is proving to be quite a challenge to everybody. Lately I’ve been hearing of rising cases of heat stroke, serious nose bleeds, flaring tempers in traffic jams…. And yet, at times, the human spirit manages to shine even brighter than the sweltering sun.
A few days ago, inching along the highway in 35°C heat, a car ahead of me was passing the traffic policeman, who was sweating profusely in the blistering weather. Out of the blue, a hand thrust out of the car and reached out to the policeman with a cold bottle of mineral water. I am sure everyone around him felt a lot lighter after seeing his genuinely gratifying smile.
It’s not solid infrastructure, nor is it sound economics — it’s not even good governance — that keeps society in one piece. It is these acts of altruism that somehow enables us to keep faith in our fellow man.
10:45 am on 26 Apr 2007
how nice… mhmm got me thinking…
might as well follow kuya kim’s advice drink 8 glasses of water a day..
9:54 am on 28 Apr 2007
That’s so nice. Sometimes we forget those policemen are human beings too.
8:53 pm on 3 May 2007
It is a common sight here in Doha. Almost every week, I would see a car driving slowly along the dusty path in front of our office where a road construction is underway and the people in the car handing out liters of bottled water to the workers. It’s amazing for a third world guy like me to witness such a generous act, but I guess it is normal (and expected) for a wealthy (and religious) country like Qatar. Still it warms my heart and makes me believe that there is hope for a more peaceful world.
11:16 pm on 3 May 2007
Yeah Jap, there is hope for the world yet.