Watch the things you gave your life to broken...

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools

We are posting below an article published yesterday in The Hindu.
Probably to comfort us, a friend send us the famous poem of Kipling, 'If'. 
And we Aurovilians are trying our best to "fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run..."

'If' by Rudyard Kipling

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

‘Thane' robbed Auroville of lush look
The Hindu
January 5, 2012
Kavita Kishore
Estimates suggest that over half the trees in Auroville, which was known for its lush green cover, have been destroyed by the cyclone Thane. A visit to the township reveals that large numbers of trees were uprooted and many patches of the area have been cleared. Work is in full swing to clear the uprooted trees.
Auroville has a man-made forest, which is over two decades old. The trees had been planted by Aurovilleans on an area that was earlier barren and many of the trees that have been uprooted were over 30 years old, according to one of the Aurovilleans, Tapas.
A majority of “work trees,” Acacia auriculoformis , that are drought resistant, were among the major casualties, said another Aurovillean.
Many Aurovilleans said that as a result of the trees collapsing, most of the roads in the township were blocked and many people were unable to move out of their houses. There are still around 200 houses that are inaccessible.
The local school was damaged as was a children's playground, with trees and the wind wreaking havoc in the area. However, Matri Mandir, the focal point of Auroville, the Bharat Nivas and the Visitor's Centre were unharmed despite severe damage to the surrounding gardens. There were no casualties from the cyclone.
Electric lines have suffered damage with several broken posts and snapped cables lying on the side of the road. The TNEB estimates that it would take another 10 to 15 days before electricity is restored in the area.
According to Aurovillean Alok, around 150 electric lines were uprooted by the cyclone and many windmills damaged. The windmills were being used by a few communities to pump water, he said.
One of the biggest problems they face at present is the lack of water supply.
To help ease the situation, each community receives a visit from the “water service,” which is a jeep with a generator and a pump, that goes around to different areas and pumps water into the tanks. The service, however, is only available in areas that have road access, Aurovilleans said.
A cyclone help-desk has been set up. It coordinates various cyclone-related activities, including the clearing of roads, helping people who are still trapped in their homes.
A massive cleanup has started and Auroville has acquired around 20 chainsaws and five generators to resume their essential services. Volunteers chip in with the clearing of trees, along with hired help. Work has started on the buildings that suffered damage. The communities collect at Solar Kitchen for their meals, and individuals have not yet started cooking.
A few houses that have solar power where panels were not damaged continue to have electricity, and people gather there to charge their mobile phones and other devices.
Although the power supply would take another 10 to 15 days to resume, the Aurovilleans are optimistic that their community would be up and running by then, with all roads being cleared in the next two or three days.