It’s been one of those weeks. You know, the really expensive ones that you didn’t see coming. On Monday, our washing machine broke – seems it can’t be fixed and we need a new machine. Two adults, three kids and two muddy dogs in a house with no washing facility.
Then, on Wednesday, the boiler went on the blink and we had no hot water (there is nothing so unfulfilling as a mildly tepid bath and a bath-bomb that just sits, fermenting on the bottom of the bath without a hint of fizz).
So, not only could we not wash our clothes; we couldn’t wash ourselves. Even having to have cold water to wash my hands was an irritant.
These things happen and we are fortunate that we can have them fixed or replaced, but it brings home the fact that you never realise or appreciate what (or who) you’ve got until it’s gone. You know; like when you get a cold and appreciate breathing.
So, there I was, a bit grumpy and inconvenienced and then something happened that made me snap out of it quicker than a cat having a (tepid) bath; I turned on the news.
If ever you need a big slap of reality, just look at the headlines, and then offer the other cheek and get repeatedly slapped by the horrific stories they are exposing. Beheading, bombs, splintered limbs, disease, landslides, abuse, neglect – utter misery. I used to turn down the radio in the car for some headlines, to protect my children from this ever-hideous world. Now I just turn it off altogether because all the headlines depict some tragedy or vile act of one human being toward another. Yet, as adults, we cannot ignore it; we must not. The abject horror and suffering many people have to endure is too hard to bear – but they must and so should we. People die in order to make the world aware (I was brought to tears by the statement from James Foley’s parents) and I feel it is our duty to sit up and take notice.
Change cannot come from ignorance, but from education and action. And hope.
In my last post I spoke about luck; how we can make our own luck, good and bad. I think I need to take that back. It IS luck; a genetic roulette that allowed me to be born in the UK rather than Gaza, that allows my kids to grow up in comfort and shelter rather than squalid refugee camps.
Next time I open my mouth to complain about some small misfortune that has befallen me, I will stop to think and close my safe, healthy, free mouth before remembering how bloody lucky I am.
11 Responses to “My Fantastic Life”
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totally agree…i try and tell my kids this sort of thing all the time!
hows you? apart from boiler/washing machine nightmare xx
sarah james () recently posted…Its a pyjama party! #stuckonyou
I was just thinking about you last night! I’m good; super-busy with my latest venture. How are you and all your crew? xx
I am not disagreeing even slightly but I do think that the occasional moan about how bad things are for us is allowed. Yes our problems are no where near as bad as other peoples, but they are still problems and so sometimes it is ok to say ‘yes, things could be worse, but actually they are still pretty crap.’
That being said. I am getting very frightened about where this world is headed. What we are doing to each other, what we are doing to the world… there is so much evil. There are so many vile people. I fear for humanity. We need to do something – but I have no idea what!
Lauranne recently posted…Something to think about
I know, Lauranne. Believe me, I am very adept at moaning. Isn’t that what Twitter is for? ;-)
I also think there is so much lovely news that doesn’t get reported or get the coverage it should. I tell my kids: 95% of the people this world are lovely, but we only hear about the 5% who aren’t. Not statistically true, of course, but you get the gist.
I just had one of those moments where reality hit home via my BBC News App! I MUST bring the ‘in other news’ section up to the top – that is usually fairly cheerful.
Hi Sarah, I absolutely agree, particularly the bit about being born in the UK, in this era and a woman. Imagine being born in a country where women are regarded no better than animals, have no rights, etc. I am from the UK but have spent over 30 years working in Switzerland (think RICH!!!). I don’t necessarily mean the Swiss, but the big banks, the diplomats, the multinationals. There is an expression in French “c’est pas normal” and it drives me crazy. Basically it means “it’s not fair, it’s not right” and it drives me insane. We are so, so privileged to have the jobs that we do in such a wonderful location, with good health care etc. and STILL people whinge. I am very, very aware of how lucky I am, particularly having grown up on a dingy council estate in central Birmingham (they bulldozed the house where I was born). Some people don’t know that they can feed their kids, protect their kids etc. are running for their lives and I hear “c’est pas normal”. I know it is human nature but I think our first world problems really need to be put in perspective. And you have done just that. Well done. (Rant over, soapbox stored). Anna
Thanks, Anna. And you are so right about being a woman too; even though there is still a long way to go, the fact that that path is open or, at least, a possibility is something I appreciate wholeheartedly.
The world is a complex place; so beautiful, so abhorrent and so divided. I’d keep your soapbox dusted off! x
Sometimes these small ‘inconveniences’ have to befall us in order to remind us that we are indeed, extremely fortunate. Some of the atrocities going on in the world right now are just unbelievable. Hope you get it all fixed soonest x x
suzanne3childrenandit recently posted…The Weeks That Were / Project 365 no. 34 and 35
Beautifully put. x
Knackered Mother recently posted…Holiday Report
You’re right: there are a lot of people in much worse situations than you and I. But still, I think a broken boiler AND washing machine is pretty horrid – you have every right to complain away, I reckon!
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it frightens me how bad the news is at the moment, some truly horrific things happening. What I hate though is the feeling of helplessness, that there isn’t anything we can do about it.
ben recently posted…Matilda’s book reviews – The Faery’s gift
Absolutely, Sarah! Yes, its true that its a bloody downright nuisance when these things happen (and I had a situation like this a couple of years ago – no oven for a month! Get this – i even started to try frying fish fingers!) but in comparison, they are small. I’ve spent quite a lot of time in Africa and other places where there’s no running water, where people are in fear for their lives, and although I’m adept at moaning, I will NEVER moan about my how much washing i have to do as i have a machine, and tap to run water.
As for the news, its so sickening, its kept me awake at night sometimes, and i haven’t let my kids hear anything about it as they simply couldn’t cope with it. Thankfully, I’m part of a church who responded to my suggestion we pray, and getting together to to pray was a powerful way to ‘do something’. We also know the ‘Vicar of Baghdad’, the British Canon Andrew White who has been leading an Anglican church in Iraq for years (half the congregation are Muslim interestingly), and has been overseeing the distribution of food, water, blankets etc through his Foundation. Sadly, he’s had to leave Iraq as its so dangerous and he suffers from MS, but he says that donating IS making a difference, as well as our prayers. Hard as that might seem to believe right now. I’ll shut up now. Thank you for blogging about this. I’ve been meaning to but not had the mental space to do so…..Sx
Siobhan from EveryoneElseisNormal recently posted…‘Well done, Mum!’ An end of Summer Holidays poem