Life and Soul

Ecuador – part 15

Back to the streets, it’s a shame that the ones lucky enough to prosper in life soon loose their feeling & compassion for others. Why do we loose touch with reality?

Is it because we worked so hard to get there??
“Why should I give away my hard earned cash?”
“I worked hard to get where I am today”

Some will always find it difficult if not impossible to climb out of their present situation, these we should care for. Most just need a little help & compassion to see them right, a hand to get out the rut.
The rich ignore others outside their social circles, in other words anyone with less money. Most think that there yearly meagre donation to some big charity relieves them of any further responsibility. In fact donating to charity although important is a very easy way for the rich of relieving any guilt.

The few with integrity will give back in different ways through various funded projects, new libraries, colleges, trusts, housing to name just a few the imaginative can give to society. Your imagination is the limit if you do feel the need to help, and after all you do have the money.

Far too much self serving greed is allowed to flourish on our planet. Money is power, power is control, control is all if you need to protect your wealth & stay on top.
Why do we knowingly cause harm in the pursuit of profit?
Why do we walk pass the man in the street, knowing he is hungry or thirsty, with no care for his suffering?
Why have we allowed ancient values of oneness, harmony & balance be replaced by the “I’m alright jack” profit hunting sickness that is today’s mental illusion.
I am aware that I alone can’t change or improve all the wrong in the world but I also deeply understand that we are one & if we all started in very small ways helping each other life would dramatically improve for many numbers of poorer people round the world.

For example; if everyone gave 10c twice a day to the beggar on the street, soon the streets would start to clear a little as some find their feet. For every man begging 100 walk past who could have easily have given 10c, that’s $10 each, enough for the family to eat well, even if you feel the money will be wasted, don’t judge, help.
It’s easy to see as possible, even easier to start yourself, find a little compassion, and give small amounts regularly.

Each time you go shopping spare a little change for the ones, who need it, its difficult in the West our policy is to remove or hide beggars & tramps form the streets & our view. What you can’t see doesn’t affect, in S.A when we see so much poverty most soon switch off and pretend it’s not their problem or fault or blame.
If you come across some buskers or beggars brave enough to face the uninterested crowds give a little cash, make someone really smile, give others a touch of faith once more.

I remember in Kingston upon Thames there was, probably still is, a man in a wheel chair with no legs, they had been amputated at the top of the thigh. Usually he was to be found sitting on the pavement around the shopping centre looking pretty sorry for himself, cap out for change & a super strength beer in hand. One day I just happened to notice how the people walking past him would not look at him let alone give him any money.

An understanding of this mans life dawned on me as I saw or understood life though his eyes & his body. Being ignored by all, not even noticed, totally excluded.

For myself I made a point from then on whenever I saw him, to give him the change in my pocket & more importantly to stop to ask how things were was he ok.

We all need to spend more of our conscious thinking of others & how we might help, as the understanding of “our” (All of our) situation becomes clearer, we can look at ourselves, our ways, reactions, influences & effects on various people or situations. Every little thing you do has an effect on the people around you, as well as effecting our environment.

You should be willing to be truthful to yourself & those around you, willing to open your mind up, & have clarity of thought, able to walk away from the material benefit of your situation if you know there are negative, unfair or environmental repercussions; no longer ruled by greed, money & false power. Free from the mass of consumer bindings, pits, traps & programming.

I know from experience that most in business have no time for others; all their time is taken up by progressing, earning more, being bigger, competing.

I sit through many business conferences, industry awards or formal dinners in my role as a sound engineer, all too often I hear the same message coming from the board
“We need more, more profit, more productivity, more, more, and more & we want it for less, far less”
The ones at the top of the pile pay themselves very well, far out of context with the rest of the workforce, too keep themselves in this situation the company has to perform constantly, they will do everything in their power except cut their massive wages, they would rather sack ten more workers rather that decrease in wage, at the end of the day it’s a boys club, if you are willing to play the rules they let you in, max profit to be had but you must push aside and forget your own beliefs & morals. Once in the club you’re a slave to money, status & social standing.

The grief that comes from greed, our world would be a different place if the wealth held by 5% of the world’s wealthiest population were more fairly & evenly distributed. Usually they or they family past has become rich from exploiting some part of our earth; oil, gold, ore’s, jewels, minerals, plants, animals, practically anything can be claimed, produced & sold. As log as your part of the club & aren’t going to let the side down anything becomes possible as you new found buddies in the club pull strings to help deals happen for you & success arrive at your door. Comfortably knowing the there will be no repercussions reflecting on them cause “your all as dirty as each other” & will cover each others back.