March 27 — MH370 has given us a period of prolonged grief and sorrow, but may we use the new strength gained to assess life as best we can. Here are five.

1. How small we are

The most common response we hear when the images and voices of the disappearance of MH 370 loom across, is that “How can something so large be lost?”

We all remember the times when we stood along the narrow aisle leading to an airplane and be overwhelmed by the sheer size of an aircraft. It spells out the irony of what we see when it when it is flying in the skies — it was even smaller than the lonely hummingbird.

Even with many of the most dedicated and competent international rescue efforts, together with the best kind of technology there is, we were still unable to draw proper detection after many, many hours.

It does give us a perspective that flies right to our faces — if even a plane of such overwhelming size is so comparatively small and minute, how is our size to compare with? And more importantly, how are our troubles and worries compared in size? Should it occupy us like it is larger than the world, when it is just a teardrop that nothing could possibly detect?

2. We can care

Perhaps the takeaway that is most taken for granted is our ability to bring together people across borders and psychological barriers to work towards a common purpose of saving lives.

When the news struck the chords of our consciences, we did not look to the list of victims and only pick the ones who we share our ethnic background or religious belief with, before we sympathise and care. In fact, it did not matter to us that if they were not all Malaysians, we cared equally for them, because it is simply natural.

The reason behind the motivation to help in any capacity pursuant to this tragedy is nothing that we often make condition upon — moneys, favours, promises — it is merely that voice in our head and that feeling in our chest telling us that we owe a moral duty to save another person. It is an a priori consideration that we often choose to ignore, instead it is shameful that only upon such a massive trigger that we realise of it again.

That plain gut feeling of wanting to save another person when tragedy consumes them is natural, and for all we know, commonly shared among all of us.

It makes a huge mockery of the race and religion debacle that has been played up by irresponsible quarters in Malaysia that implied as if all sympathy, acceptance, compassion, and kindness have all just been values we once had. When we stand shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet, prayer to prayer, in spontaneous interfaith prayer sessions at the airport the first few days after the disappearance, we already know the answer to the endless religious conflict that does not deserve persistence. The answer is that prayers to God remain the most sacred sanctuary we turn to when we break into our most vulnerable and humble souls – it makes you wonder why should there be an issue about who, which, whose, or what God is. You belong to your prayer.

But does it take a tragedy of such massive scale for us to realise about these?

3. Unexpectedness

The unusualness of this event was also for the many unexpected turns it has taken. Not only is it rare for a plane crash to happen, but it defies many of daily expectations of what it means to be safe, and “fine”. Even when the pilot was an extremely experienced one (logbook hours), a Boeing aircraft that stood at the pedestal of quality and safety, and rescue technology that far exceeds typical human imaginations, the many turns that brought to the saddening conclusion today were never within our realms of expectations.

We would not want to believe that such possibility was capable of happening because we want to know that we are able to know what comes next, and this event is evidence of the uncertainty we have to face regardless of our preparedness. Life is a constant gamble that we place our bet on what we know next, and the odds can be against you greatly. It shuts our minds off a little, and gives a more space for thoughts on how little of what we can control; it exposes our fragility to a greater force that may be rooting against us. And we just dive slowly in this compound of helplessness.

It is often overused, but what remains that we can control is “now” – so we should not waste our tokens on this. Would we have wanted to live this “now” moment if your life were to do this again? We shouldn’t allow ourselves the possibility of passing off “now” and thinking we know we can make it happen “later”, because “regret” is the product of losing “now” and “later”, for “later” is too unpredictable and uncertain. The crews’ and passengers’ family members could not have imagined that their “later” was so tragically different than what they thought and what the other promised it would be.

Do not save “I love you, too” ’s when your mother says it to you even just as a gesture. Use your tokens of “now”.

4. What words mean

Words like “take care”, “have a safe trip”, “be careful” now could perhaps take a different meaning. Especially in days where texting and messaging are so prevalent, there are too many words that circulate that just do not mean for what it does or should anymore. Perhaps now is a good time to re-evaluate something so basic as how we use these words. These words are not just uttered for formalities’ sake, but they are one of hope, desolation, and helplessness.

“Goodbye” becomes a promise that we will meet again; “Hi” becomes praises to God that we have actually been fortunate to take another turn of meeting and embracing each other’s presence again. We should take these words seriously and say it like we mean it. Do not cut words short or not say it at all, and most of all, say it while we can.

“Goodnight” is not the same as “nite”.

5. God’s timetable

This has got to be the most perplexing schedule we would ever come to know. God will ring you up wherever you are, and you cannot say “I’m busy, call me back later”. When God thinks that your time is up and you have paid your dues in this cycle of life, it is time. God’s calling is also our chance to say thanks to the passed person who had made this life of suffering of ours a better place to live in by his or her existence. How can we take off the time of that person when the time for that person is already due? It is okay now, as we shall embrace the happiness left in the shelves of memories in our heads. However, what we have to do is to make sure that our appreciations and thankfulness for that person who had brought us love and joy be a duly tribute that will etch across their spirits in the air.

Just like the pilot, I just want to thank you on behalf for flying the bravest plane there is to be. But I hadn’t any qualms that even if you knew that it was going to be the most dangerous flight ever, your passion and enthusiasm for flying in the liberties of the skies will probably make you bold and excited to take it up anyway. Wherever you are flying right now, I am sure the crews and passengers are safe up there with you, as long as you are the one who steers it. We will be proud.

Right back at you, captain - “All right, good night”.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.