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Life is near normal now. And you can see it in the children's faces.
Happiness shines on their faces. The effects of the December 26 tsunami have started to recede and life in all its different shades is emerging slowly. And you can see it reflected on the young faces along India's southern coastline. The camera seemed to fascinate them. They wanted their pictures taken. At an orphanage, some children kept following me around, striking various poses at the drop of a hat. Anything to be caught on camera! The stretch of beaches along the fishing hamlets of Akkaraipettai and Keechankuppam, a few kilometres from Nagapattinam town in Tamil Nadu, India, was the worst hit in the country. But life is near normal now. The scare behind them, children now wander on the shores, playing with the waves. And some others chip in as the elders haul in the morning catch. Elsewhere, a group of children dig into a meal at a daycare centre in one of the temporary shelters, provided by the government or NGOs. Their elder siblings head back to the shacks after school, hope shining in their eyes. They are not alone. There are hundreds of children in other tsunami-hit areas around the world. They've managed to overcome a terrible ordeal. On the surface of it at least. Of course, the psychological scars will take longer to heal. Till that happens, aid givers must do their best to keep up promises of better education, food and shelter. Children are, after all, the future.
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