In the eye of a cyclone...
At takes courage to go through a cyclone. It takes planning to handle a cyclone like Mekunu. There is tremendous amount of studying that goes into understanding the nature of a cyclone. Just like us humans, cyclones too have personalities and characteristics but most importantly they are like us in unpredictability. Yet scientists, engineers, meteorologists and programmers at Public Authority for Civil Aviation were able to predict the nature of Mekunu and its path with precision from May 23 to 26. Science has advanced and so has the knowledge. Yet, our minds are as vulnerable when we hear we are in the path of the cyclone.
That is when authorities in Oman came together to be with the public guiding them step by step. They have noted appreciation of the public for adhering to the advice given during the days of cyclone, but what the authorities may not know is how much we are in awe of the rescue and technical teams putting forward their efforts never thinking about their safety or lives.
Today we are relieved that Mekunu is behind us even though it might still take a while to recover completely especially the businesses and the farms. But we must never forget what we learnt from these professionals who taught us duty comes first even in this era of individualism and life in virtual reality.
It was sheer values that dictated the dedication we saw in the teams — they only had one goal — protect lives.
When they are dedicating their lives is it not our duty as public to adhere to their requests whether it is to evacuate or not to step out of the house due to floods?
With Mekunu we were seeing competition between rain and wind. Water and air are both essential elements that we need to exist, yet when they took their form of this level it created fear in us. Even if we were not in Dhofar we felt uneasy to sleep not knowing what is going on in the beautiful land of Frankincense.
On so many occasions I have looked up at the plateau of Darbat and imagined how the water must have cascaded down because there are water marks. Only now we saw Darbat in its full capacity and fury. So whether it is water, air or the scenic Darbat it was the intensity that awakened us to the might of the universe.
We are nothing compared to the energy of this universe, yet we are energy too, but we have also been given something that is powerful — the mind. It was the minds that collectively could execute the rescue and rehabilitation plans. It was the mind that could protect even where concrete failed to stand against the strength of storm surge. Rushing water peeled away roads as if they were icing on a cake.
But most of it all it was the respect for lives that urged the rescue operators work their best even forgetting about themselves. So we must also respect their lives and that is what we must have in mind the next time we have the urge to rush out and watch the wadi.
There is also something we have to learn from a cyclone, while dispersing so much of energy by spinning around anticlockwise the eye of the cyclone is calm, there are no clouds here. It is fascinating, is it not?
If only we could be like the centre of the cyclone the centre of our being, our mind, to be calm without clouds of negative thoughts, even when we are to move with our surroundings in calmness or aggressiveness doing what we have to. Of course we would not want to cause harm to anything but our emotions are as powerful like a cyclone feeding off from the surroundings. Cyclone tells us it is possible to be calm even in the midst of chaos.
There is also something we have to learn from a cyclone, while dispersing so much of energy by spinning around anticlockwise the eye of the cyclone is calm, there are no clouds here. It is fascinating, is it not?