Sharing Not our Culture Anymore?

In 2006, Amrita will be going to school. Yes, she has decided and consistently requested for it and finally we decided to give it a go and enrolled her in a private school in PJ. This is posting is not about Amrita but my experience in going round trying to get a car pool in place. I will share this thought another day.

I looked up the school and ask if there are any students who would want to car pool. It turned out that there are at least three families in the same section where I live who send their children to the same school. Through the school, I asked if they are willing to make arrangement to car pool to send our children. This save time, share time and on the environmental level, put a car or two less on the road - good example to talk to our children about saving the environment. Plus, of course, our children get to have new friends.

But alas, both the parents the school called did not commit, they sounded disinterested and had the same reply, "let me talk to my husband first". Three weeks have passed, no reply.

I am beginning to wonder if they understood what car pooling is all about and why they are not interested? Is is fear of their children safety - that's a valid excuse. Is it that they prefer very private lives or trust no one? Could it be we do not know each other - we did leave our number and offer to meet and get to know one another. Let's not even talk about the environment bit.

What every the reason may be, I am concern that our community has lost the culture of sharing and community spirit. Yes this is the same community where thieves broke into our home one morning two years ago. Despite my wife's screams, no one came out. Our immediate neighbour heard but told us (yes, actually told us) they thought it was something else. Where we came from as kids, we would all run out and stick out heads out to find out / to help / or just be a busy body. Here we stay in our house and thank (whoever) that it's the neighbour that got hit.

I sincerely home I am wrong. You might your own thoughts.