Ashamed
Sometimes I'm ashamed about how much I whinge about my lot in life. Here I sit in a stunning 3 bedroomed house, 200 metres from one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, 2 cars, 3 computers, 2 TVs, a kitchen full of good food, and cupboards full of good clothes.
Above is a photo of Soweto. I'm using Soweto because its probably the best know township in South Africa. But there are 1000s of others. Shit, there's a township about 10 miles from my house.
Spare a thought for the BiPolar sufferers living in these shacks. Yes, there are people with Bipolar in shanty towns. All over the world. Millions. Unlike pretty much everything else - BiPolar does NOT discriminate.
What care do they get? They can't even afford enough food let alone meds. And therapy? Man, they would gawk in disbelief if they knew we spent the value of a week's staple foods to go and talk to someone for an hour.
So when us fortunate ones sitting here connecting in the blogosphere whinging about the hells we are going through - just remember that our hell could be another person's paradise. It's easy to forget this. And for me, living down here in Africa, it is even less forgiveable to forget. The majority of my country lives in these conditions.
There is ALWAYS somebody worse of than you. How much does that statement help in your personal difficult moments? Puts things in perspective perhaps but offers little relief from your own pain.
ReplyDeletewell said willbefine. The sentiments are nobel BPG. I am trying to figure out how to get treatment for my own daughter.......we have people here getting no care also.
ReplyDeleteWell said. All I have to do is think back on my time in Ivory Coast, West Africa and the poverty and sickness that I saw there. It is good to reflect and realize how many blessings we DO have.
ReplyDeleteI think of the homeless back here quite a bit. Because if it wasn't for a few important things in my life I would be right there with them on the street. I fight for
them the best ways I know how.
I would imagine that the majority of the homeless have some sort of mental illness.
I think it always helps to cultivate the spirit of gratitude in ourselves. It keeps us humble, in right view of our life and it makes us more socially responsible and aware. I find my own gratitude to be nourishment for my soul and good for my mental attitude. Thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteOh. I'm very grateful for what I have. And I wish there was more I could do than just give money to someone with really knowing if it will be put in good use...
ReplyDeleteThat said...I've lived in such a shack. Sometimes I wish I could go back there. I have found...there are worse places.
I really ought to post a picture of the neighbourhood between the university and my daughter's elementary school. South Korea used to be stone poor until the mid-seventies when they started exporting cars. Now most people are just up to their eyeballs in debt.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding us just how good we really have it, relatively speaking.
ReplyDeletehey man, have you started a BP support group in 2nd life yet?
ReplyDeletei heard 2nd lifers pay tons of linden for zyprexa pills, they powder it and snuff it to get high...
a store that sells antidepressants in SL would be a sucksess from the get go!
whatchu waitin for? become a lindenionnaire already!