Editorial

Malta, it would seem, has turned the tables on its European partners on the mainland, who are sweating it out in scorching temperatures, while we here go about our daily lives in the normal temperatures we are used to, cooling ourselves in the Mediterranean, which often shields us from the extremes of weather.

Where in summers past we used to envy mainland Europe's cool, Europe would, if it could, come over to Malta today to cool down somewhat, even though it is still more than warm enough here. Malta has absolutely no merits in the situation, of course - such happenings are ordained elsewhere, where there is not known to be any favouritism, nepotism or any other unhealthy -ism.

For once, in Europe, where they are not usually prone to wear light clothing, even in summer, they are feeling closer to the sun than we usually do here. The consequences are terrible, people who are vulnerable, such as the elderly, are dying from the extreme temperatures.

They are also feeling the pinch of water shortage and that is not as easy for them as to make seawater fresh. Who knows, maybe it is a lesson being taught. They are so used to water on the mainland, providence had to show them they should not take it for granted. In Italy they are running short of it though it is sorely needed to turn their power turbines. In France they have to have it in copious amounts, to cool their nuclear power plants. It is not a situation anyone would wish on anyone else.

There must be some lessons for us somewhere in all this. For one, being big and powerful does not mean, as we can see, having it one's way in everything. There is no beating nature, if nature says it will not be beaten. We ignore that fact at our peril.

It is a powerful lesson, if only we can learn it and profit from it. Which is unlikely, because human nature being what it is, we are likely to ignore it. It has been so, from time immemorial. As the song goes in the Steve Martin film: "A long time ago, a million years BC, The best things in life were absolutely free. But no one appreciated A sky that was always blue, And no one congratulated A moon that was always new. So it was planned that they would vanish now and then, And you must pay before you get them back again. That's what storms were made for, And you shouldn't be afraid for: Every time it rains, it rains Pennies from Heaven, Don't you know each cloud, Contains, Pennies from Heaven. You'll find your fortune falling, all over town, Be sure that your umbrella, is upside down..."

Autumn is approaching and will be with us soon. And after the scorching summer rain is greatly in demand. Agriculture needs it. So does industry. The water reservoirs need it too. We have to have it, to live. In Malta we had a copious winter this year, with plenty of rain falling late in the season, and falling in amounts we could cope with. Europe seems to be needing the water more than we do, however, and we all hope the Pope's prayers will be answered, though there has been no response so far. We can join him in them too. Even from a selfish viewpoint, we would not want Europe to be feeling the pinch of economic weakness just as we join to dip our fingers in the pie.