Easter Monday. The day after. The sugar rush, only diluted by vast quantities of Sunday roast, is subsiding. The bunny has left us to do what bunny rabbits do best, and today is a public holiday which means that we get to do nothing other than wallow. The sun is shining again, which is fabulous, we have been for breakfast - which is always interesting with an energetic 6 year old - and the better half has now taken our sprogs to the beach to hopefully burn some energy and I am here...trying to write this positively. I am accused of being negative in this blog (is there a difference between honest opinion and negativity) so today I will not tell you about my waning feelings for the coffee shop and its management at my newest favourite shop. No, I won't do it. No, don't ask. One of the downsides of having worked in hospitality for so long is that I get frustrated when things are not done right. When management, who are there anyway, could put in a bit more effort and make such a difference to your experience at the place you are at. This is not unique to Amanzimtoti or South Africa...I bet it happens where you live too.
Anyway, today I feel good. I awoke this morning, early, and stumbled through to the smell of coffee. Plonking down on the couch my one open eye took in Extreme Makeover Home Edition on the box. Not wanting to disturb the warmth of our marital bliss I obviously said nothing - I assume you know what this program is all about. If you don't; simply, its about a crew of designers who through their TV network in the USA go out and in 7 days change people's lives through building them a new home. The people have been afflicted by unimaginable hardship and the community gets involved to better their lives! Only in America? Maybe? But it did get me thinking. Now for those who know me will know that expressing my emotion is not my strength, I am definitely not in touch with my feminine side at all and guys who are cry, well, quite frankly, I find a bit odd. This morning touched something in me and I wondered how, if Extreme Makeover came to my community to help someone in dire need would I and would we get involved? It also led me to wonder if those involved in this TV program are actually who they portray themselves to be, are they so generous with their spirit when the cameras are off? I don't know the answer.
What I think I know is that we, as individuals, could do so much more for our respective communities if we gave up just a little time. I don't do it. I haven't done it. I don't actually know where to start. But I think if we all gave up a bit it could be better. Now, before you all start to think that I may have lost it completely, I'm not talking about save the whales here, or international aid, or earthquake relief, all that and more requires a certain type of person I think, I'm talking about taking a small amount of your time and investing it without reward or even recognition in your community. It is a bit alien. I know. But wouldn't it be a better place if we did this? The program portrays American communities getting involved to help. Are their communities better than ours or that much different to ours? I doubt it.
I have written before about people who give to take, do you think we could give because we can instead? For me, I am honest enough to know that it would take some time for this to become a mindset, I am guilty in the past of giving sponsorship for recognition and self advancement, and I am very distrusting of people who genuinely expect nothing in return. I am also cynical enough to know that there will be people out there who will abuse the system of paying it forward. I doubt that I am unique in these thoughts. I would be curious to know your thoughts on this. You will see that I have added a basic poll thingy on this blog, if you go to the top it should be on the right.
Being relatively new at this blogging thing I am currently fairly consumed by it. Obsessed my wife would say. I have today, in fact, discovered the poll thingy which I'll fiddle with over the coming days, I have tried, unsuccessfully, I think, to figure out how to add a slideshow to my page and linking this to my photos on my facebook profile, I have also kept an eye on where in the world people are who read this - todays new entrants are in China and India, so welcome to you whoever you are. I have also tried to explain why I'm doing this to someone - they had that blank "oh this won't last' look - eventually it boiled down to 'because I can'. This is my digital diary. This is my story. You may not like some of it. Thats cool. I look forward to engaging with you because our opinions will be different.
Until then and until tomorrow.
No I don't think that having an honest opinion makes you negative - But I do think that you obviously feel that it is time to do something for someone other than yourself, or rather for something other than a reward of any sort. Ring up a charity and see if there is anything that you can do using your particular skills for them for free - only once, once a week, once a month, once a year - and see what they say. They might say there isn't and then in that case you have tried - or they might say Great! Once you open yourself up to 'it' you might find your 'giving' finds you! For me - since you have already worked out who I am - I face paint regulary for charity events for free, and I am on the 'make a dinner list' at the church ie. if someone is unable for whatever reason to cook for them selves I deliver them a meal, and leave it at there door. Whatever works for you - that's what I say. Go for it.. it makes you feel good knowing that you have done something. xx
ReplyDeleteWords well said. I think it needs to be a mindset. It needs to be from the heart and without judgement.
ReplyDeleteChina and india?? Whoohoo, well done neale :) As for your blog today, yip, thats one of the things thats struck me about NZ, they are very much a friendly community here and everyone is willing to help out. Thats the way we should be, all the time :)
ReplyDeletehaving never traveled out of SA, i had a huge wake up call to how people can be overseas. My first experience was with Seattle, USA, Americans are not "loud" like people tend to think, they are in fact very friendly, yes they dont tend to think that there other life outside of the USA, but if you get to know them, you would understand why. What you see on TV, like the home makeover, I can only guess that it does happen like that. Back in SA, do you even know who the neighbour is? do you care? so maybe it would make SA a better place, who knows??
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