Thursday 31 July 2014

Grateful

Sometimes I turn on the news and weep at what I see. Sometimes I feel so angry at the injustice of it all and how humans can carry on they way they do. Sometimes I just take a deep breath, help when I can and think on how very different my life could have been had I not had the good fortune to born British. Of course, Britain is not without its problems, and no one is perfect. But I am grateful. 

Because I am lucky. So very lucky. I have been born in a country free from war and persecution. Born to supportive, hard-working parents who never batted an eyelid when I said I wanted to be a lawyer, a teacher, an interior designer or a writer. I have an education, a home and a job. I have clean water, a roof over my head and sanitation. I live in a free country, face little prejudice and inequality, and I can vote.

Sometimes I feel like humankind has gone mad and we're on the brink of destroying ourselves. I don't understand what's going on in the world, I don't think I can possibly help on a grand scale. But I do feel lucky. I have healthy children, a warm home, a belly full of food and a shelf full of books. I have a wonderful partner, a modest income and a life that permits me to create a little, and love a lot. I'll never take that for granted, I wish people born into this country could understand the poverty and fear that others live in. We are so very lucky.

Do something small today here, or help Oxfam to help families in Sudan have access to clean water by texting WATER to 70064 to donate £3. These are small things I've done, but if we all do it, then we can make a very real difference. We may not be able to solve all the world's problems, but we're fortunate enough to be in a position to help. My mad, wonderful friend turns 60 today. To celebrate, she has jumped out of a plane to help raise £100,000 for a charity that helps children on a real, daily basis here in the UK. She's real, and so are the problems she helps resolve with her psychotherapy work at Kids Inspire. I can't wait to see how much this incredible woman raises. 

xxx

2 comments:

  1. We are all so lucky. Until last week I had never seen a dead body. Now I have seen countless photos of dead babies from Gaza. I could cry daily. X

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well said. I agree wholeheartedly with everything you have said, its something I think about often and feel so helpless. I feel so lucky and try to remind myself and our boys of this fact.
    Its so strange that I've read this post and just over an hour ago I donated the £3 by text to Oxfam.

    xx Louise xx

    ReplyDelete

Hello! Thanks for stopping by to read. I've enabled Disqus so if I don't reply to your comment here, please know that I read and treasure every word. Let's stay in touch! I'm also found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Let's be friends.