Childhood Utopia: Summer

Sorry for the length between updates! Uni has pretty much taken over my life. I’ve just finished my midterms and paper proposals (pesky as they are). February has worn me down and I’m looking forward to March beginning. The saying goes that it comes in like a lamb and out like a lion. Some years it’s sunny and warm for the first two weeks and then sadly the snow and ice returns for another month before spring returns in full. I’m ready for green and colour. Though yesterday as I was walking from the bus into my Uni I saw all the frost on the blades of dead grass and tree branches and it looked like needles were clinging to it. They were all pointing in the same direction. I wished that I had had my camera on me, it was a beautiful sight. We need to stop more often and look down at the world we live in. Slow down a bit.

One of my favourite parts of summer is to walk down my parents street to the river and see what’s available. One can be surprised by the wonders hidden for you alone. As a child my favourite activity was to walk around and imagine myself into different environments. Sometimes that meant rescuing someone, or being the princess of an imaginary country or going back in time to live the life in one of my favourite time periods. Most prominent were Tudor England and Ancient Egypt. Sometimes I was the daughter of Aslan and lived in Narnia. I would play with the naiads and dryads and have some jolly fun. Sometimes I had to fight the white witch and save Narnia alongside that of Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter. I loved to read but I didn’t need books to escape. My mind ran around in twirls and spirals as I entertained myself. I can’t wait for summer again so I can resume my walks. Sometimes I still have my little imagination games. Though they’re slightly “grown up” and I imagine myself as the Empress of a far away country or I discover Atlantis.

What is your favourite part of spring/summer?

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Compassion

Tis rainy and gloomy outside at the moment, with it only being a couple degrees above freezing.  I think our snap of warmth is coming to an end and winter will soon ensnare us.  The streets are ugly again, as if they’re protesting the return of winter.  Mittens and scarves and toques have returned and are here to stay till April.  However, beyond that, there is still some grass showing, even green shoots eagerly looking for sunlight.  Nature is so resilient, it comes back year after year.  After hurricanes, and floods and earthquakes.

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Haiti recently had an earthquake that registered 7.0 on the Richter Scale.  Thousands of people are homeless, injured, and so many who are missing, or presumed to be dead.  It’s hard to imagine a catastrophe of that magnitude.  I find it doubly harder to respond beyond the curiosity of the average Westerner who on average doesn’t experience the hardship of those in third world countries.  This isn’t to say that I have no heart of that I’m callous.  I’ve honestly NEVER felt the hardship of a difficult life.  I was born to a middle class family, grew up in a nice house amongst siblings and loving parents.  I’ve never had to worry where my food would come from the next day, or if I’ll be able to survive.  Those who live in countries such as that as Haiti, are to be commended and respected.  I wish that there was something I could do beyond donating, or praying, or spreading the word about.  I want to be able to go amongst the muck and mire and help them rebuild their houses and homes.  To help them rebuild their lives.

These people are like the grass and the flowers.  Even after the most heartbreaking of catastrophes, they are still able to stand up and go on.  They are able to rebuild their lives.  I know that if something like this were to happen to my town, that many would simply give up.  People here don’t know what it’s like to HAVE to do something like that on a regular basis.  We’re spoiled.  I’m spoiled.

I wish that there was more equality amongst the world financially.  However, within the system we have, that won’t happen.  But at least there are organizations such as World Vision and Operation Christmas Child who work on a daily basis to improve people’s lives.  To improve the world.  And I think we as westerners are called, nay, should be expected to give to these organizations.  I’m not saying that we should impoverish ourselves.  But that if we have the means, to give.  $30 a month isn’t much, but it can immensely improve someone’s life.

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