Another month has gone, and Christmas looms! I always try to have gifts ready by now, but, again, time has moved too swiftly and busily to think of it. My gifts are always small and, hopefully, fit to the person I give them. But gifts are a privilege. So many do not get them, or can afford the luxury of giving them.

I think of all the people in far flung places (was it really a year ago that I was in Cambodia?) and wonder why the western world creates such a commercial broohaha over every festival of the year. We are encouraged to SPEND, SPEND, and SPEND all the time. The poor people of the world, even within our own society, often live in rags, concerned only with living and surviving one day at a time – and we in the ‘civilized’ world don’t show the care of the planet, environment or those less fortunate than ourselves.

How dare we!

And that comment brings to mind the passionate speech of Greta, castigating the governments for not fixing the climate change of our planet. Then there are the protesters who are using violence to change the regimes of oppression in other parts of the world. I guess my opinions are not worth much, but I wonder whether those people have any solutions, or are just yelling at others who also can’t fix the emergencies of the world?

I would like to see the people with the solutions get the type of airplay that those angry people get. The fact that people in Africa are digging the desert to re-green it, that Egypt is planting trees to stop the march of the desert sand in their country, the people in Australia growing coral to fix the barrier reef, the volunteers who feed the poor, the farmers struggling to help feed the masses trying to use sustainable practices – this is where our thoughts and efforts should be directed.

Can YOU live your life in a better way?

Can YOU help fix the mountains of plastic, general waste and the acquisition of ever more ‘gadgets’?

I know, in my life, I have endeavored to curb my desire for all the fripperies of the world, I’ve been to places to help teach and educate, and I strive to make my small plot of earth better than I found it.

If everyone followed those principles – no doubt, the planet would be better off. At the moment, all I see is the rush towards the same fate as the dinosaurs!

There is more in this world to hope for than that!