India, Sept. 8 -- An elderly woman was isolated entirely, lying stranded in a house submerged in 12 feet of water for more than a week. The grocery store, her usual cot, and the earthen chulha on which she daily cooked food were no longer in sight. Nor did she have the strength to wade through the water to save a few items to survive these difficult times.

Her husband and her only son passed away years ago. For days, she was alone until a volunteer came on a boat to save her. The woman, in tears, was unable to say anything. This is one of the heartrending videos to emerge from the recent floods that have affected many states in North India.

This is not the only video. There are several stories that remind us of life's fleeting nature, o...