August 25, 2003
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A Note from the Garden Journal
Poedneey Avgoost, dyeasyat minoot 22.00, my panimayem eta poedneey. And already people are wondering where the summer has gone. In
It is hard to imagine daily temperatures of 140°F (60°c) or braving them with a hundred pounds of air-tight clothing and gear. As I drive through the scenic mountains of
Sitting with my friends at the coffee shop relaxing, watching Hummers and Range Rovers cruising the lot, it’s hard to imagine there could be any need anywhere, really.
Yet, one need not even board an airplane for the lengthy flight to discover that it indeed exists. Some of us know. We are by far the most generous nation on earth. The most charitable people. That perhaps is why we also happen also to be one of the most wealthy. Yet, we still have to fight that part in us that wants to bury the head in our own matters. Perhaps we feel smothered by all of the pleas we hear for our money. None of us can save the world, but everyone can do some little thing, a kindness to another.
Consider if you will, 250 million people doing just such a kindness. Be that buying a stranger lunch, sending air conditioners to our soldiers, medical supplies to Africa, teachers to the Dominican Republic or counselors to a women’s shelter 4 miles from where you live.
Yet, it also strikes me the effect on a single soul I have for a few lousy worthless Dollars. Many who have seen Schindler’s list may remember the end of the film when Oscar Schindler after having saved so many realizes how many more he could have helped had he sold an unnecessary ring or his car. We don’t even have to do that, but will we really treasure every single CD we buy? What if we gave one new CD up and did something else with the money. What would you do if someone came running up to you 25 years from now and told you they were on the edge when you brought them back? Instead of the CD. Any buyer’s remorse?
I know so many of us are indeed quite giving. This is part of our culture, a part of which I am deeply proud as an American. This is more of just a note to stay aware of your surroundings and the people in the world around you, if you have both arms and both legs, a car, food, a roof and tend to go out for coffee with your friends...or not.
It may be late in August, 10 past
--Blogbat
Comments (3)
Hm, how delightful to hear some open optimism in the face of a society driven by the pessimism of liberal musings. Personally, i think America is doing all it can for other countries and sometimes i think that we should actually be doing less. Poor countries label us as a being greedy, bossy elite, which are merely lies fed to them by a government that intercepts the aid we send their countries and keeps it for themselves. They're right though, and they don't realize that the majority of Americans despise "evil" corporations just as much as they do. In the US, working for the government isn't a position of power, it's a JOB. Ya think GW Bush has enough gray hairs yet?
The US rules. If other countries followed our examples then we wouldn't have to throw so much money at them.
That last line sums it up. If other countries were more like us, they would be exporting business instead of importing relief, and we would be better for it as well. All of the charity money going overseas could go 100% into helping the downtrodden here. The reason the world is so messed up IS because of inequity: The communist and muslim leaders have...and their followers have not.
I don't necessarily think that we shouldn't help other countries, but there's only so much we can do. The world is too complicated for me and i would rather placate myself with Reality Television and Playstation 2.
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