The flood and I

I have never waited like this for anything or anyone ever in my life. With such anticipation and such dread.

Let me tell you where I am coming from.

All around me I see Thailand flooding like never before. I am still dry. If flooding in my area of residence can save someone from more agony and trouble, then I would be happy to receive the floods. If, by not coming to where I am, it helps the country to maintain stability and ensure supplies to the areas already affected, then so be it. But I do not feel comfortable just sitting in my dry and well stocked home while the others take one day at a time and go hungry and homeless. Men, women, children all.

Its just that the uncertainty around me and the travails of people affected by the floods prompts me to wonder again and again, "are they coming, the floods?

Two weeks ago the shelves at Supermarkets were depleted of SKUs. There was shortage of drinking water. Even our apartment management was rationing cases of water per day. I presume everyone was rushing around just buying mindlessly and the suppliers got left behind somewhere along the way, with their replenishments. Ironically, the water first inundated the industrial areas which border Bangkok on the periphery, and so many of them had to close down, creating temporary scarcity of esentials. Then we saw what the global fraternity can do- supplies started coming in and supplementing wherever the internal systems could not keep pace. The small blip in availability was over. Essentials can be had anytime.

Today the shops around where we live are again stocked well enough in the face of a crisis like the one we are going through- I had gone out this morning. But when the water fills up around our buildings and on the roads, then how are we going to go and buy what we need? So we continue to replenish whatever we are eating up from our stocks. Who knows when the flood will arrive and take us all unawares?

We received, and are still receiving so many calls from people we know asking us to go stay with them till the situation improves. These callers are mostly friends; love you friends. Family, its ok. Everything's gonna be alrightee. From that distance, it looks worse than it is.

There have been videos and stock shots and everything to tell us whats happening. But does the water listen to anyone? It charts its own course. I am a novice at science. I speak with my heart, not my knowledge here.

While deep in my heart, I feel at peace, I still am worried for those who are suffering.I feel peace because I know that we shall overcome, albeit at some cost. The other good learning is that for a while at least, we will be thankful to be alive; the next thought is that we will not be complacent and take things for granted, again, at least for a while. I worry for those impacted because its been quite a few weeks and endurance levels are breaking down. How much can anyone suffer? I see the pictures of elders and infants and feel so guilty- I wish it was me and not them.....

I want to do something positive; and the most positive thing I can do right now is carry on as usual. Do my work, help out at least one person a day and think positive. Yes, it is intelligent to prepare for an exigency, but foolish and destructive to overdo it. I also want to reserve my energies for the aftermath- when life starts returning to normal, there will be so much to do- disease control, rehabilitation and reconstruction of inundated areas, resettlement agenda, starting afresh. I will, most willingly be a part of getting back to normal again. I am just waiting for it. Looking forward.

People are evacuating. Good, its that much less pressure on the infrastructure and the essentials. All of those who are going out, guys we wish you a quick return under safer circumstances.