Remembering...

A monument to remember those who lost their lives

May 12 is a date I will remember forever. It was the day a massive earthquake hit Sichuan, China. I was living in Beijing at the time and spent the next few weeks watching stories of courage, pain and sorrow emerge on television screens everywhere.

At 2.28pm on May 19, a week after the devastation struck, China stopped for three minutes to remember those who had lost their lives. Instead of standing in silence, everyone on the road stopped their cars and struck their horn for three minutes. It was a sign of unity, that together the nation would pull through the destruction.

However controversial, I do believe that China did pull through. They managed to relocate 15 million people to safety and then later host an extravagant Olympic games.

Children gather during the aftermath of the earthquake

Every time a report recounting the events of that fateful day, tears fill my eyes, and I can only imagine how painful it is for those affected. Those who have lost their homes, their children and their parents.

Though my stay in China was short, I miss it everyday. I felt safe there and found the people welcoming. The friends I made, I will cherish for a long time to come and the lessons I learnt, will make me a better person...wiser, more tolerant and more understanding.