TamraReasons to be cheerful Pt 1
July 4th 2008 11:05
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always considered myself a reasonably positive person…but lately, I don't know. With parenthood reducing my available filtration time, I've fallen prey to sound-bytes and headlines, and they’re not pretty: the never-ending war on terror, the endless negative cycle in Israel and Palestine, Zimbabwe, a ravaged environment, our choking city, anger at every stop sign and children suffering everywhere.
How did we get here again? How many times do we have to learn that we can’t mess things up - places or feelings - and not suffer the consequences? It just seems so simple. And I realise this may sound simplistic, and yet we (that's us the human race) seem to mostly forget or ignore what’s really important, what’s fundamental and ultimately critical to our 'successful' survival.
Well anyway, I determined to try and remember what was good and honest and pure and to try and apply it to my life. If I don’t believe I can make a difference then what hope do I have? What hope can I pass onto my children? And more importantly what skills can I pass on, to try and do something about it all.
It’s just a start. A little thing I've undertaken and maybe you can add something of your own to it. I’ve started a list of things I can do to make my part of the world a better place. If I can bring the whole wretched, polluted, dysfunctional, unintentional, conflicted, twisted, argumentative, disagreeable and wonderful planet down to something smaller, something manageable then it won’t seem so over-whelming. Here’s the list I’ve come up with so far, please feel free to use it or add to it. It’s not meant to be anywhere near definitive. It’s just a place to start, so I can feel optimistic again and maybe make a small difference. Maybe we all can.
• Remember to look after my health. For my sake, for my kid’s sake and to ensure my old age is as good as it can be
• Walk or ride anywhere I can. Forget the car and use my muscles, they don’t emit as much pollution
• Get involved in local community environmental groups. Plant trees and watch them grow so your kids can have something non-metallic to climb on in the future and we can provide more shade from the ozone-reduced sunlight
• Find one charity I strongly believe in and contribute some time or funds to help them do their work. Thinking of others less fortunate puts your own life in perspective
• Re-use every container, paper or other kinds of waste and if I can’t, recycle it. Then buy recycled products. And contact manufacturers of products I use to ask them to provide biodegradable, recyclable and reduced packaging
• Buy my kids bikes and sports equipment as they get older, not just video and computer games and then get out and join them riding and playing, play keeps you young and fit and they're not kids forever
• Sponsor a child who’s less fortunate than my own
• Plant native trees that smell and look good and encourage native bird-life, insects et all to visit
• Tell my friends and family how much I love them in whatever ways I can. All relationships need nurturing.
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