A story of drowning civilization [*friend]

We call a being civilized when they start to take care of one another.

The initial days of college were filled with uncertainty and curiosity. Everything is in a state of chaos, you are plucked and planted in a new environment. The courtyard was filled with the stingy eyes of seniors who roamed like vultures to dine on the new meats. In classrooms, we make friends with whoever sits beside us or we share a room. 

One weekend I and my 2 other friends decided to go swimming. Our destination was a pond near the state highway, about 5 km from the hostel. We caught an autorickshaw and reached our destination. I was hesitant to dive in as I was not a swimmer. As I watched one friend swim across the pond, the other swam to grab me a tube. I was watching them and smiling. Suddenly I heard a woman screaming for help. Moments later, I heard my friend holding the tube screaming and crying. My mind was reeling. What is happening? Although I continued to smile, the thought struck me. Oh, dear Lord, the one who swam across the pond was nowhere to see. He has drowned due to muscle cramps. Watching a friend drown in front of you. What is your immediate reaction? I continued smiling at him.

What makes us human is the ability to think and act upon necessities. It's our survival instinct that keeps us alive. How do you react to a roadside accident? Are you the person who stops his vehicle to help the other person? Or are you busy catching up with your schedules? Will you lend some money to a friend in need knowing he won’t return it?

The first evidence of civilization was a 15,000-year-old fractured and healed femur found at an archaeological site. A healed femur indicates that someone has helped a fellow human. We call a being civilized when they start to take care of one another. We avoid such conflicts of thoughts by assigning responsibility to others. Currently, I am smiling at my civilized mind.