Well, here goes.
In our crazy, angry (hello Donald), messed-up world, where so much hate is on display daily in all sorts of ways, I come close to despair on a regular basis. And that, in turn, makes me angry, disappointed, sad; sad for me, for you, for the world we live in.
And yet, and yet... I am constantly reminded of the generosity and kindness that still exist in the world, in the mega-city of London. From the polite people who give up their seats on the tube, the amazing people who work in the charitable sector constantly striving to help others to the lovely 'baristas' who occasionally treat me to a coffee when I haven't enough money to pay for one, so often I'm reminded that all is not lost.
No, this isn't 'wisdom' with wine, as I have not had a drink of any kind for a couple of days, but a sober reflection on the fact that all is not lost yet. Despite the Donald and Hillary, the horrors of the Middle East and the money-grabbing bankers, despite social and political ills everywhere, basic human kindness survives. There is hope after all, it seems.
Doubtless some will tell me about all the beastly or indifferent people around and how they make my little acts of kindness irrelevant. Believe me, they upset me too, indifference being almost worse than outright beastliness; after all, it's easier to tell someone off for being rude than for not being polite. But civility and kindness can win most of these people over, I believe, hence the hope.
No rose-tinted spectacles here, no belief in a perfect world, no fairy tales, just a firm belief that kindness makes the world a better place. And if my personal experience in the last 18 months is anything to go by, you get a lot more back than you give.
From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank all the people whose actions keep me believing in a better world, and keep me alive.
