Wednesday, November 18, 2009

We, The Pamperazzi

Father and Son - The Cycle of Poverty Continues
Tonight as I left Khao San Road, I saw two Thai children of about four years old playing happily. Normally, this would be a scene that would bring a twinkle to my eye, but this image was different.

The children were playing with a pile of garbage. I thought briefly about taking a picture, but given that it was late in the evening, a flash would be required, and in addition, I am uncomfortable with the idea of taking such a picture without permission from the parents.

I turned away as my eyes began to well up at the sheer inequity of human existence.

When I had the privilege of seeing Bill Clinton speak this summer, the thing that struck me most was his statement that " if you were given any choice about what to do with your life, you are among an elite one or two percent of all the human beings who have ever walked this planet".

My guess is that those kids I saw tonight are not among that elite percentile.

I wish that I had been able to take that picture so that I could show it to myself and my fellow Canadians when we begin to whine because our petty little desires are not being met.

The more I travel, the more I realise what a petty bunch of self absorbed people many of us are.

So much to be grateful for, yet so little gratitude.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com