Lucky beyond measure …

I have lived some good portion of my life in the alleys and back blocks of the world. 

For half of my life, I had few possessions, lived pretty much day-to-day … but always I managed to find a way forward. I was just as happy in those ‘lean’ times as I am today (homeowner, nice car, etc) … because I was living an adventure.

Unlike many people though, I always had a safety net. I always had friends who would give me a place to stay and parents who had a room and a hot meal in the ready. So even my ‘lean’ times, were not all that difficult. There are countless human beings living in this world, for whom every single day is a true struggle for survival; there are countless innocents killed in conflict, countless others wrongfully imprisoned, homeless who have nothing to look forward to, parents struggling to keep their children alive … so for all of us who are able to read this post, it’s worthwhile pausing a moment to consider how lucky, how fortunate we actually are. 

We should always be on the lookout for meaningful and effective ways ti change people’s lives for the better … I am not a far left socialist, I don’t believe in the government taking what I have earn’t (mismanaging it) and giving it to anyone who puts their hand up …. yet, I do want to find ways to help those who need help and those who are struggling through circumstance rather than choice. 

I want to succeed in my life, but never at the expense of others. I always want to keep one foot in those back-alleys of my youth. We all need to remember, for many, the struggle is very, very real.

JBW