Events across the globe are certainly making unpleasant listening/reading over the last 48 hours. Sydney, Pennsylvania and now Pakistan…. Why can we not all live together, without weapons, and just agree that we have different beliefs, different opinions, different cultures etc. and just get on with it in harmony, so long as we aren’t harming anyone…. is that such a ridiculous concept?
132 people, mostly children, turned up at school this morning in Peshawar and are now in coffins. Katrina Dawson, a 38-year-old barrister and mother-of-two who worked in Sydney’s central business district and Tori Johnson, a 34-year-old café manager, were killed in their attempts to protect others in Martin Place, Sydney. Six people have been shot dead and at least one other wounded in three locations near Philadelphia….What kind of world do we live in for this to be a regular feature on our news bulletins? How can we – the general public – change society to ensure that this doesn’t keep happening?
Sadly, I don’t have an answer. Even if I did, I don’t think that one person could change the world. You only live once and whatever positive difference you can make, at whatever level, is enormously valuable to the world at large. I could list hundreds of thousands of ways to make a positive difference and I would still miss hundreds of thousands more. If you think back on 2014, how have you made a difference? What could you do in 2015?
Let’s not forget our own personal dreams either…. What have you always wanted to do in your life? Well, don’t leave it any longer – plan it! Do it! As one of my friends said in a Christmas card, ‘we must get together in 2015 – let’s not leave it too late!’ This year, I have said goodbye to far too many friends and family members with several currently struggling with illness.
You only live once…. As Mae West said, ‘ You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough.’ Whatever doing it right looks like, I’m certainly going to give a damn good try.
[Don’t forget to keep an eye out over the course of December for the hidden message in the titles of FWL blogs…. When you think you know, email us so as not to spoil it for others!]
