A few weeks ago, Mate and I watched War Dance, a documentary following schoolchildren from Uganda in a national music competition. The story touched me and as we discussed it I suggested that making donations to eachothers charities in lieu of exchanging Chrismas presents. It’s a sweet gesture - one which I promptly retracted when he brought it up again later.
It isn’t that I don’t care. It’s that sometimes I just want to be normal and take a day off from saving the world (which for those of you who don’t know - it’s my day job as well as my hobbie). There are days when I envy the uninformed, the uneducated and I pray for apathy to take me away like a calgon bubble bath. It’s easy being selfish and self absorbed. Easy- but false.
We are one world, one society, one human family. Our lives are intrinsically connected physically, spiritually, financially, energetically and in ways we have not even begun to understand.
At the end of the day, we are as obligated to take care of ourselves as we are to take care of eachother. A happy life must have balance. Sometimes the pendulum swings a little to far in either direction and that’s ok as long as we know we are always on our way back to center.
I appreciate what you wrote. My husband and I always struggle that we don’t do more in our community, yet we both have jobs in which we give to people all day. We do need balance. I really appreciate your openness and humility in this.
Ruth
December 4th, 2008