Changing Weather Conditions

Conversations everywhere nowadays touch upon the changing weather conditions. People say, there is global warming. Places where there used to be floods now experience drought. Places which used to be sunny and cheerful are now gloomy and sunless. And those places that were once cold are colder now. And there is continuous rain in previously rainless places.

Are we experiencing a once in history geological situation? No. At this point in time, we feel as if we are undergoing unique conditions. But the earth, the universe, has always been ruthless. It has always done what it has wanted or thought inevitable. It is all about cycles, inevitability.

The past is replete with examples of extreme changes, shifts in earth conditions. Whether we enumerate the disappearance of the dinosaurs, or the disappearaance of old cities like Sodom and Gomorrah, or the flood that was the starting point of Noah constructing his Ark, massive events have marked the earth's past. When we look back at them, they look like mere points on a graph.

But if we consider the huge outcomes of these changes on the human (and animal, plant) populations, we cannot deny that always the earth, the universe, has been living and changing organisms.

The Weather Channel only shows the current situations, which is helpful. It helps the traveller, the farmer, the adventurer, the camper, etc. But shall we not look deeper and have a perspective, and see the whole picture too?

Grapes of Wrath

Amazing novel by John Steinbeck, a classic no doubt. The use of local language, and style of presentation has a dramatic effect. There are commentary chapters about farmers leaving their land in search of work and money, interspersed with the story of the Joad family.

Each of the chapters described well how one by one the characters leave their moving family. Finally Tom, the son who killed a second man, leaves, and there is little or ho hope. But now and then, hope trickles in. The children's mother is extraordinarily strong. The surviving men help her by keepin together the remaining family.

Through all the suffering, help comes in in some way or the other. There was no work, but somehow the people earned a few cents and dollars, and the members dragged along.

The end is optimistic. The poor helps the poor. Rose of Sharon loses her baby, who is born dead. But she gives life to a dying man by giving him her milk. A striking, innovative, real end.

All throughout, the feeling is of a real family suffering.