26 December 2008

Remembering the Boxing Day Tsunami


Four years have passed since that fateful day in December 2004 when the sea turned savage and unleashed two gigantic waves which took the world by storm. More than 225,000 innocent people perished, victims of one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. I recently read a book titled And Then One Morning by Aaron Le Boutillier. The author was on the tiny island of Phi Phi, Thailand when the tsunami hit and witnessed first hand the horrors of this black day. Aaron also tragically lost three of his best friends: Heinz Oswald and his two young daughters Anna and Tina. This emotional and beautifully written personal odyssey touched me and left me wondering why? Why did Mother Nature unleash her fury, triggering such a catastrophic disaster? Why did some people perish whilst others lived? Why were the lives of so many little children cut short in such a brutal fashion? Why did thousands of people all over the world lose a husband or wife, son or daughter, relative or friend? Despite much reflection I don't have answers for these questions. They will remain forever shrouded in shadow - just a few of the world's great mysteries. Today, however, is the fourth anniversary of the Boxing Day Tsunami. I humbly ask you to close your eyes for just a minute and remember the many victims who fell prey to this tragic catastrophe. May their souls rest in peace.

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