That Old Article
I believe it’s been 2 something years since I bought a bottle of water from a convenient store. It all started after I read an article in some magazine about the crisis of water shortage and pollution in Africa. An article filled with statistics and numbers about what is happening there. It was really disturbing, but as most of the other reads everywhere, that cloud of concern was gone by the time I moved on to other pages and eventually closing the cover.
The real impact happened right when I walked into the grocery store, specifically walking into the water bottle aisle; 1000s of bottles and 100s of brands, different prices with different descriptions on the label. And then I hit me, I am the most fortunate individual compared to at least 40.000.000 children in Africa. Not only I can afford water, clean water, but I can actually walk 2 mins from my place and get it, and to top that, I get to pick what I am drinking today; should I get a case of them? How much money can I spend on water this week? Should I just get a gallon? Or hey, that one comes with a free gift! On the night, I knew what water means to me, I know the convenient of buying water, I saw my one life’s blessing, not earned or deserved, just happened to be born somewhere like this one. I am blessed geographically with gift that took me 26 years to see, or at least to say thank you. Right then, I promised myself, I won’t buy s single bottle of water as long as I have other “common” access to it, or as we call it “Tab water” (ofcouse I am saying I should drink contaminated or polluted water just to make a point) . It does make a difference in one’s life to appreciate his blessings, but it has far more impact when it reflects on others, and this what made me write this. The other day, I happened to chat an old friend, who mentioned doing the same thing, and after a couple of mins I was told it was because of me. I don’t remember mentioning this to anyone, but I think my actions were clear enough, but sometimes I forget that people pay attention.
People pay attention to what say and do, but it is the “do” that is harder to explain. Anyone can talk pretty much about anything, ranting, bitching, criticizing, and spreading his views all over the world. Politics is the best example nowadays; a 5 year old can talk him into any issue, bitch about the other guy and praise his guy. But Other than that, nothing. If you talk for 10 hours and prove nothing other than your ability to speak and maintain coherent sentences, you were better off not talking at all. Knowledge and awareness in any field is carried by the right words and bold actions. If we can’t make change, even on scale of one individual, we will leave this life right the way we found it. The world is full of speech writers and “I am exercising my free speech” type of people, but it is the very few of actually leaves us with trail to follow that history remembers and life thanks.
My thanks goes to whoever wrote that article a couple of years back, my only sorrow is that I can’t remember his name.
The real impact happened right when I walked into the grocery store, specifically walking into the water bottle aisle; 1000s of bottles and 100s of brands, different prices with different descriptions on the label. And then I hit me, I am the most fortunate individual compared to at least 40.000.000 children in Africa. Not only I can afford water, clean water, but I can actually walk 2 mins from my place and get it, and to top that, I get to pick what I am drinking today; should I get a case of them? How much money can I spend on water this week? Should I just get a gallon? Or hey, that one comes with a free gift! On the night, I knew what water means to me, I know the convenient of buying water, I saw my one life’s blessing, not earned or deserved, just happened to be born somewhere like this one. I am blessed geographically with gift that took me 26 years to see, or at least to say thank you. Right then, I promised myself, I won’t buy s single bottle of water as long as I have other “common” access to it, or as we call it “Tab water” (ofcouse I am saying I should drink contaminated or polluted water just to make a point) . It does make a difference in one’s life to appreciate his blessings, but it has far more impact when it reflects on others, and this what made me write this. The other day, I happened to chat an old friend, who mentioned doing the same thing, and after a couple of mins I was told it was because of me. I don’t remember mentioning this to anyone, but I think my actions were clear enough, but sometimes I forget that people pay attention.
People pay attention to what say and do, but it is the “do” that is harder to explain. Anyone can talk pretty much about anything, ranting, bitching, criticizing, and spreading his views all over the world. Politics is the best example nowadays; a 5 year old can talk him into any issue, bitch about the other guy and praise his guy. But Other than that, nothing. If you talk for 10 hours and prove nothing other than your ability to speak and maintain coherent sentences, you were better off not talking at all. Knowledge and awareness in any field is carried by the right words and bold actions. If we can’t make change, even on scale of one individual, we will leave this life right the way we found it. The world is full of speech writers and “I am exercising my free speech” type of people, but it is the very few of actually leaves us with trail to follow that history remembers and life thanks.
My thanks goes to whoever wrote that article a couple of years back, my only sorrow is that I can’t remember his name.