PrayForMH370 shows the inherent goodness in people

People are basically good. Sometimes, due to circumstances or their own shortcomings or past karma, they get involved in activities that are considered bad.

But, people are basically good at heart. And this has been proven once again in the wake of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 going missing.

Everywhere I go, people are expressing sadness and sympathy for the families of those on the flight. They are praying for a miracle and they are praying for the families of the passengers to be given strength.

The Social media are full of the hopes and prayers of ordinary people. On Facebook, I am seeing this constantly: #PrayForMH370. Some have changed their profile picture to a drawing or picture of a MAS aircraft with those words.

Some profile pictures have the words: ”Please come back”.

One posting says: “I’m working today but my heart, soul and thoughts are with those good souls onboard…”.

Another goes like this: “Cannot sleep also, where is the MH370… god pls help…”

One Facebook user wrote: “Still no news about MH370 and my brain is thinking of all possibilities!!! Heart is not peaceful. If I’m feeling so, I don’t even want to imagine what the passengers’ families might be feeling…#PrayForMH370.”

And this outpouring of shared sympathy, of prayer, of goodwill runs across the spectrum of people and faiths. It transcends race and religion.

I have not seen any posting where a Muslim has prayed only for Muslim passengers and their families, or a Christian only for Christian passengers and their families.

Neither have I heard of a Hindu praying only for Hindu families, nor of Buddhists praying only for Buddhist families.

The Malaysians who are praying are not just praying for the families of Malaysian passengers but for the families of all passengers and crew members on board MH370.

From what I have read, the people of China, India, Australia, the United States and other countries too are not just praying for their own citizens but for everyone on board the plane.

That is what makes it meaningful. People are showing that they are humans first and foremost.

I remember my father telling me about a Tamil saying which goes something like this: An intelligent person is one who feels for others and does what he can to help.

So, by that definition, these are intelligent people, as they feel for the families of the passengers and wish them well.

I would like to believe that even the politicians who said they had prayed for a miracle had actually done so and that what they had uttered was not simply an exercise in public relations.

I do know for certain that those that I spoke to, very ordinary people, actually said a prayer or two. At times of national sadness and disaster, ordinary people never fail to show that they have heart.

I believe that prayers help. And those who have said prayers, or are saying prayers, must surely think so too.

At the very least the prayers will help the families remain strong for they will know that other people are with them in their time of pain.

Another heartening happening in this time of anxiety and sadness and prayer is the coming together of nations to help search for the missing plane.

People, airplanes and vessels from various nations are helping in the search, including those from Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Singapore, the United States and Australia.

About 40 ships and 20 aircraft are reported to be involved in the search for MH370 which went off the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation radar at 1.30am on Saturday. There were 227 passengers and 12 crew members aboard the Boeing 777 that was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

As the clock ticks, families and officials are growing more and more anxious. Malaysia Airlines has already asked people to expect the worst and as I write this, a report says that Vietnamese authorities searching for MH370 have spotted an object which they think could be a plane door.

But that, I find, has not stopped people from praying for a miracle or for the families to be given strength in their hour of pain.

If we could but carry this human first sentiment – where we transcend race and religion and dogma –into our everyday interactions, wouldn’t the world be so much more peaceful and happy?