Meth: a Ticking Timebomb Gone Viral

A Worthwhile Plan. Part II

I like quotes...

Judge not, lest ye be judged...Matthew 5-7.

Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes...Mary T. Lathrap.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong...Gandhi.

You took too much, man, you took too much, too much...Hunter S. Thompson.

And I have a few of my own...

The only true love that exists is for the child...whose love for you can never match.

And...Change is inevitable...but the direction of those changes starts with us, the individuals in every community, and not with the masses, who we are so eager to blame for it all being so wrong.

Enough of the quotes. Nobody likes change unless they are suffering. Human beings are by and large, habitual by nature which is both a good and a bad thing, depending on the habits. My habit of taking drugs is if I am being completely honest (which I am), very selfish and self-indulgent. Me, me, me...without much thought about anything or anyone else.

Repentance is not just a word, it's an action and I know I have a lot to repent for.

Here in Australia, we think of ourselves as being the lucky country...because we are. When we turn on a faucet and drink, we don't consider that for a second, or what we would do if that wasn't our reality...not like some who live in a place where that would be considered a privilege. We have free hospitals...well, they're not exactly free but paid for through the highest tax rates in the world, but few are complaining enough to want to move elsewhere.

I could go on, but I'm sure you have heard about us and why we are so lucky. I am a little uncomfortable with all of this lucky country stuff because there are so many other countries that are not so lucky. Just because we are lucky enough to live in this lucky country, doesn't mean we should gasconade about it...flaunting is unattractive, borders on arrogance and doesn't sit well with me at all.

We could do better and that's exactly what I intend to do.

I love to learn, especially about people, their cultures and their backgrounds...their stories interest me. When I visit my mother where she now lives, I don't just visit her, but other residents who would otherwise be, to a certain extent, ignored. Older people were once called elders and were respected for their former input and revered for their vast knowledge. Unfortunately, this admiration and respect is declining, at least in my country, and that is a sad thing to say. But, at least they do have care available and this is better than nothing.

It's ironic because I would bet a dollar that in general those who live in poorer countries than Australia would be happier and more content with what they do have. We Australians (and probably other Western countries as well) are spoiled and because of that, we tend to look at what we don't have, rather than what we do. The reality is there is poverty everywhere, but the support networks are far from the same when comparing first-world and third-world countries.

I would put forward the example of how often a family in Australia MUST sell a child, knowing full well that child will be subjected to sexual exploitation, in order that their community will have a better quality of life, ie; food and shelter. Here, that would almost never happen, but in a third-world country, this happens far too often. It's not that we love our children any more here than they do. It is simply a matter of necessity and those corrupt people, who have no morals or standards, will tempt them.

Repentance comes in many forms and mine will be done trying to prevent these families from having to go down this path. When my beautiful mother is gone, she has bequeathed me this house I am now living in. And although I am currently an addict, I haven't spent everything on drugs. I still have a healthy 401 (we call super) and I don't owe one cent to anyone other than those I plan on helping in Thailand.

There are already people on the ground doing good work in this regard and after I am settled and have found my place in life, I will begin to distribute this wealth in ways that I hope will change the lives of those less fortunate than I am...who deserve better. You could say that's honourable or even wonderful, but repentance isn't about big noting or braggadocio and the only reason I am telling anyone now is so that you might think along similar lines.

When I visited Thailand in 2018, I was changed forever by the people and the culture of giving instead of receiving. That was the first time I realised who I truly am...a Buddhist in my heart and soul. I feel the need to give as much as I can to those who need it the most. When I told my Mom of my plans after she is gone, she thought it was the most wonderful thing and the best way for me to live out the rest of my days...and I couldn't agree more.