While I know I can't change the world, seeing the world has changed me forever.
And our headlines? Jennifer Lopez gets divorced (shocker), Hustler offers Casey Anthony $500k (sick), insert headline of the week about over-paid, whiney professional athletes (gag).
Here I sit, in my air-conditioned home, hundreds of breakfast cereals to chose from at the store a few miles away in my car, limitless, clean water from the tap, any kind of entertainment at my fingertips, shopping malls on every corner with anything I could ever need.. privileged and naive beyond comprehension. I am not saying that I - or we - don't work hard for what we have. I don't want to go political here. I am just overwhelmed with the idea that because of where I was born and how I was raised, I have this life. Because of where they were born, they don't have a chance to live.
I don't mean to sound Pollyanna but I realize I do. I am a self-admitted shoe-addict, after all. I'm just as bad as anyone in my consumption and ignorance. I am really struggling with all of this. Ignorance is bliss, right? Yeah. Ignorance was a few weeks ago.
While I've traveled extensively and lived in Europe, and visited Mexico, Central America and other areas of the world, nothing could have prepared me for Africa. And now, on top of the already out-of-control poverty, disease (HIV), and hunger, there's this.
I can't change the world, but I can be more conscious about my decisions and how I choose to live. It's easier to go on on as usual, isn't it? Ignorance is bliss, right? The question for me, is: will I be a strong and compassionate enough person to even try.
4 comments:
You should read Half the Sky by Kristof. It's quite compelling and has some interesting ideas about how to help. It's never enough though.
wow! beautifully written.. even just thinking outside of our comfy little box of a life is a start.. amen!
China still haunts me and Larry will never get over Nepal. The images from Nepal, and what I know are forever in my mind. I think about them and we have changed quite a lot since Larry and Cali have come home. You do what you can. And love your little man.xoxo
I totally get it. These experiences change you. After spending 1.5 yrs working in a remote village in Papua New Guinea, I struggled with coming back to my privileged life. I continue to struggle with the reality that my humanitarian/volunteering work is now very, very minimal. One thing I am in control over is how I raise my son. Every night we reflect on what we have (while being open about talking about the crisis in Africa, etc), being thankful, etc. We teach him compassion and the value of "paying it forward" and "treating others the way you want to be treated". I can only hope that this will contribute to the forming a nice value set and he'll be a good person in life that way... that might even chose to do more than I have to make a difference. I have a hunch by your post(s) that you have a huge heart and will will no doubt raise him in a loving, appreciative, compassionate environment... and maybe our sons will meet one day and solve the dilemma of world hunger (tee-hee) :) Anyhow, it is so great reading about your beautiful baby boy and can't wait to hear about your (speedy) return to pick him up!
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