A charitable heart... where have they gone?

We are currently living in a sensational area of Noosa - waterfront living at its best. Yesterday I notice this woman traipsing the street and I ask her what she's up to. She is doing the doorknock appeal on behalf of the Leukaemia Foundation - specifically for kids. My step brother's daughter recently finished treatment for leukaemia and it's a bloody horrible thing for a family to go through - let alone the poor little love with the illness. I fervently hope that we never ever have to face the trial of a seriously sick child. It is horrendous.

So I hand over $20 because if you're going to make a donation, make a donation right? Even $20 feels so little! But if everyone gave $20 it would add up right?

I ask her how she's going and after doing this whole street, she has gathered $40 in donations! I mean I made up 50 per cent of that. This is a place where most people have at least two properties valued at a minimum of $1.5 million, but most are over $2 million. Everyone owns at least one fancy boat, some own planes, cars... well let's just say that BMW, Lexus and Mercedes are the car brands of choice, all kids go to private schools and there is not a redneck to be seen, unless they do doughnuts on the vacant lots on a Saturday night - and boy that gets the Noosa Waters Association up in arms let me tell ya.

Seriously though, if living the Australian dream at its best turns you into a mean bloody person, I don't want that dream! If holding on to all of this materialistic stuff is all that matters, I want out! Fortunately, we'll be heading out of here in a few weeks. It's beautiful here, but everywhere I look is a reminder of what I do not want out of life, and today I got another lesson of why Noosa is probably not for us.

Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea

Comments

Jenny McDonald said…
You've hit the nail on the head, love. My family often catch me raving on about how unkind our society has become. There seems to be a meanness that has crept into our collective psyche. You've noticed it in the lack of generosity of people who have plenty and I notice it in people's unwillingness to help one another juxtaposed with their complete willingness to jeer, judge and deride somebody else doing things differently or for the first time. Like you I want a return to a sense of wonder and gratitude for this good life. I want compassion to make a comeback along with a renewed understanding that even small acts of kindness can change lives.

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