WHEN a crisis occurs, people tend to blame everyone else but themselves. If someone meets with an accident due to his own inadequacies, they say that it is an act of God.

Is God there only to punish us? God bestows happiness and removes sorrow.

Sometimes, we think values are only connected to morals and ethics. But just look at the condition of the world around us and we can see that we are living a life almost devoid of values.

We have said: “We can control the environment, we can dominate it but we do not have to respect it.”

Can we say that today? We have come to a point of crisis. I think we have been shocked by the results of what we have done. It is our past actions that have led to the pollution of the environment, increased noise and heat levels and the decimation of the forests today.

So now we say: “Ah, but there should be respect; respect for life, for the environment, ; for all forms of life and definitely, there should be respect for human life.”

Many charters may be signed and environmental laws passed, but we will continue to damage the environment and destroy our home until we learn to respect life. I can only respect life ‘out there’ when I respect myself ‘in here’.

Thought for reflection: Let us take responsibility for our own actions.