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Letter: Time for personal reform
Christmas pending, a new year around the corner and many of us in a week’s time will contemplate some personal reforms
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hristmas pending, a new year around the corner and many of us in a week’s time will contemplate some personal reforms. Some of us will take on some reforms and change some of our ways; however, for the majority of folk we shall return to business as usual.
The business of self regard, of career at all costs, of building barriers between one another, of turning a blind eye to those who despair, of a focus on the huge consumption of needless goods and services the like of which humanity will one day grow weary.
Few listen to the message of the great mythic stories that lead up to Christmas and the birth of each new year. They should not be lost on us. Our days are numbered and many of us act as if they are not — the days we walk on this earth are not that many and yet many of us waste most of them. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the humble.
Most Australians, like most Americans, and like many Europeans live far removed from the majority of humankind. Most of humanity languishes in poverty so abject that they will never be able to rise from it.
They live day by day, where the success of life is measured only by having lived a long life.
My parents never went to school — they were poor migrants who worked long hours to provide for their six children. My father worked two shifts for most of his life, and he is debilitated from the years of heavy factory work. I could not wish for more love and caring than what he gave.
It would be best for society to liberate itself from the selfish blame culture and demands for exhausting bucket loads of attention from other people. People should not be blamed for another person’s lot but rather we should help each other where we can.
Like the Christmas song, “The Little Drummer Boy”, you give what you can, you give what you have and that is all the love that we need — more is too much.
I am a positivist, and though to many folk it does not appear so, in terms of human rights, I believe that the world is a better and safer place with the passing of each year. We can spend less time on ourselves and more time helping others and hence bring on the humanity.
Gerry Georgatos
Bridgetown, WA, Australia
