Monday, November 5, 2012

Taking Things for Granted


Those people reading this blog post on their computer or phone are more than likely in part of the more industrialized part of the world we inhabit.  Depending on how much you travel, where you travel to, and just how far you get off the beaten track depends on how much you will see and learn about other cultures, their standards of living, their customs, and their way of life.
We seem to forget that many people of the world may never fly in an airplane of any kind.  Most people of the world will never own a car much less learn to drive a car.  Compared with the population of the world most people will not complete the average equivalence of a high school education.  Most places don’t have libraries, internet cafes, e-readers, or other means of reading or self-study available for their people to use at their will.
We take for granted that food is readily available and affordable for most people in the more industrialized areas.  It still amazes me the large sections of the world without regular electrical service, water purification, much less indoor water facilities.  We take for granted being able to walk to the refrigerator or sink and get a glass of cold clean drinking water.
Most homes don’t have clocks in various rooms of their homes.  They don’t have microwave ovens, washing machines, clothes dryers, or dish washers.  They don’t own lawn mowers, weed eaters, or leaf blowers.  They don’t own motorcycles, jet skis, or have recreational vehicles.
So ever since my trip to the village in the Yucatan Peninsula during my vacation I have been thinking about those people and others who live in lessor industrialized areas world when I do simple things of my daily life, such as switch the clothes from the washer to the dryer, or empty the dish washer, to even getting ice from the door of my refrigerator and then right beside it cold purified water to drink.
One thing I did notice is that the children had matching uniforms when they were walking to and from school.  I like that idea because no matter what back ground you come from or where you live, all the children look the same.  I don’t know if that would curb some of the bullying and abuse American children dish out to each other because not all kids have the same clothes, shoes or coats.  If school uniforms would prevent the abuse that ends up leading to children bringing guns to school it would be worth the extra cost.



1 comments:

J.L. Murphey said...

Unless you've lived without you can not appreciate what you have.

My husband and I were talking the other day about this subject. Our grandparents lived through The Great Depression, our parents lived through the shortages of WWII, and we learned from the best how to make do. I personally have lived in countries that have none of the modern luxuries.Our children, who may have "suffered" through some lean times, have no idea what this like let alone our grandchildren.

Where is the value in our elderly? Knowledge and experience.

As far as school uniforms, I wore them, my children wore them, my grandchildren wear them...it didn't stop my daughter from tackling a boy in high school with a gun, nor my grandson from cowering underneath a desk when some strung out kid fired a round in his classroom. Uniforms are not the answer--it's parents.

 
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