By: Luis Alfonso Albarracin Palomino
We began Holy Week throughout the world in the midst of the deepest political polarization and the social and political crisis in which Colombian society is immersed due to the government’s actions that have been inferior in responding to the growing social demands that are generating a nonconformity, but it is still time to correct, to the extent that the errors committed to date are recognized to straighten the path that leads us to improve our general well-being. These days are for self-reflection. I want to share with my readers a beautiful column written by the former Comptroller General of the Republic, David Turbay Turbay, who published it on social networks and entitled it “The Lottery of Compassion.”
By your express authorization, I allow myself to transcribe it in my opinion column that is published weekly by the first communication medium in South Colombia, El Diario del Huila: “The story of the Paraguayan who raffled off his car was moved, to be able to pay for an expensive surgery on his eight-year-old daughter, down her throat. The raffle was held. And exotically the winner, in a world of selfishness, evidenced the greatness of his soul. He did not accept the prize and returned the keys and the vehicle contract. And he said that his only interest was that the girl come out of surgery well. The father, also moved, prayed to God to benefit such a gallant proceeding.
In a world full of selfishness, where the evils of others are that and nothing more, this type of vital performances, very superior, enormous, invigorating, beautiful, and demonstrators of good human sensitivity, cheers the soul. Every day there is less humanity, and more depressing arrogance, and gigantic selfishness in the behavior of men. The crisis of values that ruined what should be, is the constant of the dwarfing of souls everywhere. I applaud this Paraguayan conduct. Paraguayans are by Colombian national constitution. Things of wars and warrior solidarities. Here, few Colombians accredit something so good. They don’t give to the poor. They do not sow in the best state of their lives. Exotically, a demonstrative work is recorded that they have something good in their being, despite the daily actions that abusively nourish their excessive assets.
May there be a pandemic of solidarity love in our homeland. May the evil suffered by the poor hurt us. That we rebuild the best hopes, that the changes illuminate the shadows that nurture pessimism. So be it. I have never been a rich man, but a sensitive being who has always sought better living conditions for his people. And that has to be the starting point to consolidate the best national dreams. Of course we can change this tragedy
giant of galloping insolidarity. Education has to promote the values that dignify, that give meaning to life and justice. I invite you to reflect on individual behavior. We all have to be the hummingbird of the forest fire, which we talked about a few days ago. Persisting in what we are today, beings trying to avoid a murderous bullet, an instance of institutional justice, a deserved claim, cannot be the painful panorama of honorable procedures. Everyone, to be actors, from the best Colombia.
Everyone to be the antibiotic that heals the infections of souls, which are painfully affected by diseases with a poor prognosis and a real vital diagnosis. We are members of the great family, of the Colombia that rewards the good, of the homeland in which merits are the certificates of success, and not just luck or privileges, as painfully recorded today in the four cardinal points of the geography of the indolent homeland, without direction or just alternatives. Let’s dream of that Colombia.
And let’s act so that the dream becomes a plausible reality that makes us all happy. If possible. Let’s work to deserve it. Let’s be the effective extinguisher that puts out all the fires that destroy us. Peace must be total, with everyone and for everyone. God will give us a second chance, if we put aside: hatred, abuse, pettiness. And, above all, if our vision is compassionate and our rectifying procedure. Difficult but not impossible, my sincelejano compadre told me. Let’s all build it together!!