REFLECTIONS
REFLECTIONS : THE RAINS OF LIFE AUTHOR Teresita Bacani-Oropilla , MD
“ Into each life some rain must fall , But too much is falling on mine ” - Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall by Ella Fitzgerald and The Ink Spots
Rain is essential for life , without
which the earth would be parched . Then fields would have no yield and living things would starve . Even the deserts have their share of regular rains that determine the survival and immigration of animals and birds that mankind hopes to preserve for posterity .
On the other hand , when rains are out of control and rampage over hills and dales , their walls of water bring ruin , and what once was , will be no more .
Does it seem that our present times are of the latter category ? Do we all feel that too many calamities have befallen us ? That we brought it down upon ourselves , that the way out is too arduous ? That the frightful unknown coronavirus decimating both the high and the mighty , the poor and the deprived alike , is a punishment for our neglect of our neighbors and of the world we live in ?
It is interesting to note that other civilizations of old , whose treasures and remains of their time we have been uncovering , were at the height of their glory at one time . The burial sites and pyramids of Egypt , the great temples of Athens , the grandiose terraced cities of the Incas , the clay soldiers of China , Stonehenge of England and the Catacombs of Rome , tell a history of affluence and civilization . How and why did they perish ?
How do we grade ourselves in comparison ? Although we are at the height of communications they never attained , ( or did they ?), did it help us achieve our goals ? Are we all helping each other enhance and preserve our world ? And ourselves ?
It seems on casual observation that nations are against each other in competition of philosophies and deeds on how to achieve their goals . In trying to outsmart each other , not much attention is being paid to the devastation and misery , nor the flotsam and jetsam they leave behind .
For what purpose ? Have we matured enough as a human race to unite with a common goal ? In fragmenting ourselves , to each his own , our cross purposes will cancel each other out . That would make us footnotes of history .
On the other hand , if we have matured through as a unified race to tolerate and help each other to live in peace , we might end up singing :
“ Into each and every life Some rain has got to fall , But someday the sun Will surely shine !”
Please look up ! Is it raining ? Wait , for soon the sun will shine ! Peace to us , people on earth !! Dr . Bacani-Oropilla is a retired pediatrician and child psychiatrist .
DECEMBER 2020 29