Comments on: Do you invest in the future? http://www.parham.org/2006/08/19/do-you-invest-in-the-future Thoughts on Down syndrome, life, and other stuff Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:32:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Amy http://www.parham.org/2006/08/19/do-you-invest-in-the-future/comment-page-1#comment-19 Amy Sun, 20 Aug 2006 02:36:55 +0000 http://www.parham.org/2006/08/19/do-you-save-for-the-future/#comment-19 Well, shit. With attitudes like that it's no wonder that we're experiencing an ever-growing divide between rich and poor in this country. From where I sit: I enjoy my life in the safety of my home, with my healthy children, my supportive and loving spouse, wondering what we'll have for dinner (home-assembly or dining out tonight?) drive my fancy car to where ever it is that I want to go, complain about the price of gas but fill-it-up anyway, take the time to think and discuss and reflect on world issues, religion, politics, disability, anything. And then I go to work. I've only been back for a week now after 4.5 years home with my kids (talk about a luxury), but reality knows no breaks. I work to help feed people. I've done it before, I'm doing it again. These are people that have, in the vast majority of cases, done everything "right" in their lives. They have families they love, enjoy celebrations and free-time. Yet they don't get much of that in between working 3 jobs that pay minimum wage, hoping their children made it safely home from school on their own, and wondering where the f*** their next meal is going to come from. Because even though they might have 3 jobs, they still have to use a car b/c public transport in our fair city BLOWS, they still don't have private health insurance, and they have to decide between paying bills or feeding their kids. And what about the elderly--the forgotten souls that are GRATEFUL to encounter one friendly, patient face all day long--oh, and eat a hot meal, too. All of these people have contributed to our society, often doing the things that "we" don't want to do: clean houses, provide the meat for our hamburgers, keep our neighborhoods garbage-free. I don't care what anyone says--ours is a ruthless society that strives for perfection (whatever that means). "You say you're poor? It's your own damn fault. You're lazy." "Your child has a disability? Couldn't you have done something about that?" If perfection is a state in which "all is well," I glady take imperfection, where life is a little more unpredictible, where people work to help one another and ask for nothing in return, where "high-class' problems are recognized as such ("Mmmm...what color should I paint our bedroom THIS month?"), and where everyone--EVERYONE--is treated with the dignity, respect and compassion they just deserve, regardless of ability, opinion, religion...or the size of their investment portfolio. Well, shit. With attitudes like that it’s no wonder that we’re experiencing an ever-growing divide between rich and poor in this country. From where I sit:

I enjoy my life in the safety of my home, with my healthy children, my supportive and loving spouse, wondering what we’ll have for dinner (home-assembly or dining out tonight?) drive my fancy car to where ever it is that I want to go, complain about the price of gas but fill-it-up anyway, take the time to think and discuss and reflect on world issues, religion, politics, disability, anything.

And then I go to work.

I’ve only been back for a week now after 4.5 years home with my kids (talk about a luxury), but reality knows no breaks.

I work to help feed people. I’ve done it before, I’m doing it again. These are people that have, in the vast majority of cases, done everything “right” in their lives. They have families they love, enjoy celebrations and free-time. Yet they don’t get much of that in between working 3 jobs that pay minimum wage, hoping their children made it safely home from school on their own, and wondering where the f*** their next meal is going to come from. Because even though they might have 3 jobs, they still have to use a car b/c public transport in our fair city BLOWS, they still don’t have private health insurance, and they have to decide between paying bills or feeding their kids.

And what about the elderly–the forgotten souls that are GRATEFUL to encounter one friendly, patient face all day long–oh, and eat a hot meal, too.

All of these people have contributed to our society, often doing the things that “we” don’t want to do: clean houses, provide the meat for our hamburgers, keep our neighborhoods garbage-free.

I don’t care what anyone says–ours is a ruthless society that strives for perfection (whatever that means). “You say you’re poor? It’s your own damn fault. You’re lazy.” “Your child has a disability? Couldn’t you have done something about that?”

If perfection is a state in which “all is well,” I glady take imperfection, where life is a little more unpredictible, where people work to help one another and ask for nothing in return, where “high-class’ problems are recognized as such (“Mmmm…what color should I paint our bedroom THIS month?”), and where everyone–EVERYONE–is treated with the dignity, respect and compassion they just deserve, regardless of ability, opinion, religion…or the size of their investment portfolio.

]]>