A World That Forgot to Feel😶

Sometimes, very minute incidents can shake your thoughts. They question the very existence of each and every value you have always believed in—and one such day was mine.

Today, as I travelled from my home to my workplace, I encountered many things that I had missed every other time I travelled this route. But today, those very things woke me up from a deep sleep.

I was riding my bike, and when I reached Hunsur—my childhood treasure box—I was shocked and disheartened by the mere sight of a place I once walked with joy. Yes, in the name of development, that place has lost its entire row of trees, which was the highlight of that road.

It was once lush green, and the air was filled with a pinch of eucalyptus aroma. The road was beautifully lined with giant nilgiri trees, rain trees, and teak. Now, it is all gone. The road and the so-called developing structures stand alone, crying out loud under the scorching heat, stripped of shade and companionship.

Yes, I do agree with the notion of development—but at what cost?

It was not just a tree. It was a home for countless birds, shade for millions of travellers, a contributor to the aesthetic beauty of the town, and above all, a silent guardian improving the air we breathed.

Now, it’s all gone.

All that remains is an empty road, flanked by fancy cafés and restaurants blazing with multicoloured lights.

I am not complaining; I am grieving—for all those trees, for the lives they sustained, and for the memories I shared with them. They have all retired and settled in my heart. That’s it.

While I was lost in these thoughts, I encountered something even more disturbing—two dead cats on the road. Not just dead, but crushed beyond recognition, smeared across the asphalt like a painting on a black canvas. Nothing remained.

Once again, my mind drifted to the countless animals that lose their lives on roads every single day.

As I finally reached my destination and checked my phone, something even worse awaited me.

I came across a news article about a dog being burnt alive by a mob. Really? When did we become so cruel? Is there no humanity left on this earth?

The incident was reported from our neighbouring state, Telangana. A few people ganged up against a dog, tricked it by offering food, poured petrol on it, and set it on fire.

My eyes welled up. My heart and mind went into overdrive.

What was the dog’s fault? What must that poor soul have gone through while burning? Was it the pain of its body melting, or the heartbreak of being betrayed after trusting humans? Or was it anger—anger towards a species that broke its faith?

Even imagining it is unbearable.

A flood of thoughts rushed through my mind in a fraction of a second.

I wonder—where do we stand as humans today? Have we lost our values? Are we dead inside? Have we turned into machines? Do we no longer feel anything?

This time, it pierced me deeply.

Just a few days ago, people were marching on roads demanding votes for someone to win a reality show. It’s a personal choice, fair enough.

But have we forgotten our moral duties in a world obsessed with fame and entertainment? Is it not our responsibility to question the loss of lives? Forget responsibility—shouldn’t we at least start living like human beings and leave behind a better world for the next generation?

The next generation is already on its highway. It’s time we instil moral values in them.

It is not right for us to sit back and silently witness the wrongs happening around us.

Speak up. Be human first. Have compassion for the voiceless.

They don’t ask for much.

Leave behind some morals for the generations to come.

It’s the same planet we all breathe on. Coexisting doesn’t hurt—it only makes us human.