Should it take a calamity to make us empty our pockets and mobilize us into action? ‘Honky Tonk Woman,’ writing for the Sunday Leader newspaper in Sri Lanka says something most of us feel, but haven’t put it into words.

After such a tremendous disaster, you begin to realize the triviality of your problems. I’m very sorry to say it has become a kind of a contest with some folks, who like to make sure everyone knows how and what their contributions were to the relief effort. Let’s hope everyone will keep up the the level of enthusiasm over a longer period of time, for this effort has to be continued for a while in order to be successful. The real heroes/ heroines are those who work steadily and silently, they don’t even talk about it. They don’t feel the need for the whole world to know. I called up one of my oldest friends and told her I was proud to know her, she’s one such person. I know she doesn’t wait for tsunamis but always helps people and DOES NOT TALK about it.

I spoke to several people over the last few days who have amazing sories out of Sri Lanka, of Sri Lankans helping Sri Lankans all over the country. These private individuals who load their cars and double-cabs and make sorties into affected areas on work days and weekends. They don’t receive –and don’t care for- media attention. We can’t thank them enough