The Power of One Could Be Many

I don't often link to other pages, I'm not into ego stroking or saccharine back slapping. I occasionally link to familiarise anyone reading this mess of potage with some of the people who comment and a couple of blogs that I find amusing but today's post by Absolute Vanilla was thoughtfully written and a subject close to my heart - man's inhumanity to man. Whilst peace in our time sounds like the wish of a blundering Beauty Queen and is completely untenable in the real world I know thoughtful souls can make a small difference.

My delemma, I don't know how. Burma is in lockdown. Even internet priviledges have been denied. North Korea is in denial, it's citizens believing that the rest of the world is non existant, China is ever present on the world stage as an emerging economy yet its human rights record is outrageous. Humanitarian aid groups are leaving Dafour, Zimbabwe has become a lost cause.

People on the streets of just about every nation are out of work or have sunk into depths of alcoholism and drug addition, largely unnoticed apart from the signs they place before them begging for money which you know is just going to be used to perpetuate the cycle of depravity and abuse.

Now I'm not preaching because I've done little to help anyone but myself and my family over past years. Apart from the odd contribution and support of conversation, I'm hardly a 'community animal' but it's well and truly in my retirement plan to make a difference to someone, somewhere if I can through active participation.

I'd ask you just to take a look at Absolute Vanilla's article. It gets you thinking, that's a start. If it makes you 'plan' something, fantastic. If it drives you to action even better. I constantly hear people wanting to initiate change but feel they are a single voice in the wilderness . . . you're not . . .of course our lives go on, there's washing to be done, businesses to run, retirements to plan and children to raise but all of us can contribute in some small way whether it's sending clothes to St Vinnies or blankets to Afghanistan. Cash support for an organisation in which you believe, volunteering, political lobbying, protesting or petitioning. Even bringing an issue to the attention of others is broadening their awareness. We will never stop civil rights abuse, substance abuse, unfair invasion or political bullying entirely but it is the role and responsibility of the strong to protect the weak.