My son strolled off to school looking pretty cool this morning. It’s “mufti day” so they can wear their own clothes. The school only do this for good reason so I assumed it would be raising money for some charity or other. It’s for “Napoli” he said. OK. I admit it I was stumped. Not entirely sure why an Italian football club would need any more money, even if Italy isn’t in the best of health financially.
It suddenly dawned on me as he was going out the door that he could possible mean Nepal. “Oh yeh, that’s the one”. I busily explained over 8k people had died in one of the worst earthquakes ever and that a second large one occurred only yesterday killing over 65 people so far, but those numbers were sure to go up. I handed him over some money (although I have already donated btw!) and ranted a little more about how he needs to get his facts right and start thinking about how they are feeling with no homes and lost families….
HELL, I was so mad about it I told him that we were going there for our summer holiday to help rebuild lives. Would that be irresponsible to take my three children to an area which could potentially suffer another earthquake any minute or where houses are now unstable? Probably. But WHERE can we go then to be useful. I am going to make them build wells with their bare hands. I can’t stand all this lack of care.
BROUGHT on, I hasten to add by two bits of news this morning:-
1. That a Picasso painting has just sold for over £125 million. GREAT. I love the art world but honestly I do hope that the owner has dished out the same amount in charity.
2. That we are probably not going to take any of the Mediterranean migrants. WHY NOT? What right to we have to assume we are more special than them? Yes, OK it might make more attempt the treacherous journey, but they are risking their lives – why can’t we help?
Off to work now to calm down.
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2 Comments
Oh God, I hear you. Mine would have got the Nepal thing but generally there is just this huge lack of empathy in general. It gets me down, it really does – not just from the younger brigade, but from people of all ages. Is why politics drives me SO nuts – we are one sodding planet, for pity’s sake! Aaaghhh.
And please don’t get me on the vast amounts of money that are being shelled out for…what? My huge bugbear is fashion – how could anyone possibly justify spending thousands on handbags and shoes, while people starve? Does that make me a mealy-mouthed sourpuss killjoy? Probably.
There are places you can dig wells though…but the weird thing is that it costs a sodding fortune to do good stuff like that. James wanted to do that kind of thing in Laos but we couldn’t afford to send him. 🙁
I’m glad I’m not the only one – so agree re the handbags!! I hadn’t realised it cost a fortune to help! aaaaagh Lx