Citizens' Mail
I am a big fan of cartoons of the bygone era. The popular Warner
Brothers cartoons, Walt Disney cartoons - each has its own lessons on
courage, planning and implementing and most of all on humour, the
lighter side of all things.
Several weeks back, when I was at my gym, I observed that all the
physical trainers were glued to the TV screen watching an ordinary
cartoon. The trainers knew most of the cartoons, as they had watched
these over and over again. One trainer said that the particular cartoon
was very special so I decided to watch it. The story goes like this.
Once there lived two mice (married but without any offspring). One
day they found that somebody had left on the doorstep of the very house
that they lived, a baby cat in a small pram with a note attached, saying
"A gift for a kind hearted couple". These two mice decided to adopt the
cat. They tried to persuade the baby cat to eat mice food like cheese
but the cat refused. Then they provided the cat with food like fish
etc.. Some time later after growing up, the cat left its parents for a
new home.
The cartoon resumes several years later, with the mice now grown old
with the male mouse being blind. They find it difficult to gather food
as they are now old and frail. The owner lady of the house decides to
eradicate all the mice and brings home a grown up cat. This cat is the
same one who once lived with its mice parents. On the orders of its
owner, the cat chases the mice only to find that they are its parents.
To show loyalty to its landlord the cat puts the mice inside its mouth
and pretends to swallow its parents, but when the lady is out of site it
vomits out the live mice. The cat is broken hearted to see that his
father is now completely blind. And the story goes on how the cat
pretends how it fancies cheese, only to provide them to mice. The
cartoon sketches how the cat goes out of the way to take care of its
parent mice.
This particular cartoon was created by Warner Brothers-Looney Tunes
studio and teaches us a very valuable lesson how to treat your parents.
Dr. Himantha Atukorale
Radawana Government Hospital
How often have we, while trying to beat the deadline for an important
appointment or visiting a patient in the hospital, kicked our heels
cursing the private bus conductors who dilly dally and waste valuable
minutes at bus halts waiting for yet to come passengers, who might still
be a sleep or relieving themselves in their toilets.
When observing the ways of some of the doctors of the medical
professions I have a strong feeling that they may have taken a cue from
the conductors. Most of the specialist doctors hardly come to the
consultation room on schedule, standard excuse being busy attending to a
serious patient, etc, etc. For some very eminent specialists this is the
rule rather than the exception. They are not the least concerned about
the suffering patients, some of whom are in pretty bad shape, needing
quick attention.
The other day I had the misfortune to visit such a specialist.
Although my problem was not so acute, when the doctor didn't turn up
even after one hour of the time given in the appointment ticket, I
casually inquired from the nurses as to the cause of the delay. What I
heard to my utter surprise was that he gets in touch with the hospital
staff now and then to see if sufficient number of patients are there for
him, and hence the delay.
So, do I have a point there when I say doctors have taken a cue from
the conductors.
Mahinda Fernando
Kelaniya
I like to share with the readers a conversation I had with a 10 year
old granddaughter of mine.
Myself (Herein after refered to as Seeya): Putha, you seem to be in a
bad mood today. What exactly is worrying you?
Granddaughter: I am very much worried about two of our great
cricketers. Sanath Jayasuriya, the master blaster and Kumar Sangakkara,
that dependable and excellent keeper of wickets.
Seeya: So what about them? In any case you should not be worried
about other people's problems at your age. Anyway what exactly is your
worry?
Granddaughter: You are very unkind, Seeya. Just look at what has
happened. Sanath is selling popsicles and Kumar is selling milk powder.
Their wives must have finished all the money they earned from cricket.
Sin No!
J.M. Fernando
Moratuwa
Two items that are in wide use today are various batteries and
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL). With widespread use of electronic items
more and more batteries are used. Increased awareness of energy
efficient lighting methods has resulted in widespread use of CFLs. Both
these items contain toxic and harmful materials which may cause harm to
the environment if they are not properly disposed.
Developed countries have effective methods of disposing these items
in an environmental friendly way by having a special collection
procedure for these items. The authorities in Sri Lanka should also
implement a similar method for proper disposal of these items.
Collection points can be set up at public places like supermarkets,
banks, post offices etc. for used batteries and CFLs and fluorescent
tube lights.
An awareness campaign should be conducted to educate the public on
the hazards of improperly disposing batteries and CFLs and encourage
them to properly dispose these items.
K.G.E.
Nugegoda
I attended the funeral service for slain Editor, Lasantha
Wickremetunge, at the Assembly of God Church in Narahenpita. It was a
very typical Christian service, dignified and solemn, attended by a
large gathering of people from all walks of life.
Lasantha's sister, Savithri, in her eulogy offered forgiveness to his
murderers on behalf of all his family - which is also a typically
Christian thing to do. Love, compassion and forgiveness are enduring
ethics of the Christian Church.
It is a form of closure - forgiveness and reconciliation. The
subsequent breaking of coconuts (to ask demons for revenge and cursing)
is totally contradictory to what Christians believe in. Such behaviour
is anti-Christian and demonic.
I also write to condemn Ranil Wickremesinghe's antics in this regard.
As they say, the first accuser is also the murderer. The Government had
nothing to gain by murdering Mr. Wickremetunge. When Mr. Wickremetunge's
pen became too caustic and scandalising (as was often the case in his
writings), the Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa applied for a
restraining order and was granted it by District Court. They could have
resorted to murder. But turned to the Judiciary instead. In recent weeks
the public have been ecstatic about the military victories and the
almost annihilation of the dreaded Tigers. The Government's approval
rating is very high, therefore they would never have done anything to
detract from their successes against terrorism.
The people are not fools. Most of us suspect who is behind Lasantha's
murder. The truth is out there somewhere, but in Jesus' words as he was
dying on the Cross we can say "Father, forgive them for they know not
what they do", and "Retribution is mine saith the Lord."
Linda van Schagen
Mt. Lavinia
Reference letter in the Daily News (Jan. 26) under heading
'Pensioners abroad'. Pension for any Government servant is a legitimate
entitlement wherever the person is. The receiver has earned it, and
contributed towards it during his working life. So the person is
entitled to it whether he/she is here or abroad.
It appears that the writer has somehow missed the bus and cultivated
some sort of jealousy towards persons who are cleverer than him.
The people who have retired and found employment abroad and become
entitled to a pension, should be admired, for being so clever and
progressive. Besides when they are back, they will bring in their
foreign currency pensions to our country. Needless to say much needed.
S. Jayasekare
Nawala
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