Just a thought – How many coins have you got?

24th of December

I just want to wish you all Merry Christmas and hope you have a wonderful time with your family or friends during these days.

I also want to remind me and others about the reality.

During last month and even longer we have been bombarded with ads about everything we should buy for Christmas. We have been told that all those little and big and bigger things are necessary to celebrate.

For some this might be a necessity,  and even affordable. For others this is not important, the most important is to spend the time with friends and loved ones, either family by birth or family by choice.

And then there is the complete different side of the coin!

Those who can not afford to buy anything, nothing at all is inside their reach. They struggle every day of the year, some of them don´t even have a home.

The weather here in Portugal has reminded us of what is important. This morning I read in a Portuguese paper that a whole village has to be removed and rebuilt somewhere else. The water damage and the future are up in the air and the authorities are seriously suggesting that the people make their new homes somewhere else.

We that have a secure home cant step into those peoples shoes. Its not possible to know how they feel this Christmas. We can just imagine and contemplate.

I put my coins on my table this morning.

I wanted to see how many I got.

I wanted to feel the feeling not having enough for the 6 days that are left of this period of the month.

I wanted to see if I could get rid of the horrible feeling of emptiness and the lump in my heart.

I wanted to see if I would be able to make it one day at a time and experience the horrible feeling that follows poverty.

I will make it. I know that but there are others who won´t.

Poverty kills people emotionally and physically. Do you ever think about how lucky you are to have enough every day every month and not be worried about if you go hungry to bed this evening? Do you ever think about this?

I think it would be profitable for the politicians to walk in those shoes at least one month and figure out how the people who want justice for all feel. It might open their eyes and they might even change their priorities.

If this would bear fruit the walk has to be in December. They would have to feel the pain when they see all the ads about everything that is necessary to be able to celebrate the greatest celebration of the year, and they have nothing.

Why am I talking about this now?

Why don´t I allow you my reader to enjoy the 24th of December this year without complaining about this? Why?

Because I want us to remember the reality we provide for so many of our brothers and sisters with closed eyes and pretending nothing of this matters to us. Its not our problem, its the others who are to blame.

I am blaming the governments. I know that and I admit it!

I am powerless but the government is not.

In one of the richest countries in the world the government is on holiday these days. The ministers are happy with their families, some abroad playing golf and enjoying the good weather, others are just relaxing and having a good time wherever they are.

They don´t think about the poverty in the country, the mental suffering that often has its roots in the poverty, the physical health of the common people who can not afford to visit the doctor or buy the necessary medicine.

In this country a man who stole food for 1.500 krónur in a grocery store is facing prison time. In the same country people who belong to the rich can walk away with millions and hide in a tax havens and nothing is done.

What is wrong with the society that rewards those who bribe a poor nation in another continent to be able to make profit, more profit and the greed is endless, what makes this the norm in some places?

I hope the people in this country (Iceland) will remember when they vote next time, how they were treated by those that now promise gold and brighter future! The truth is: promises don´t cost a penny! Keeping them can be expensive but when everything is taken into account keeping them will save the society pain and suffering.

Hulda Björnsdóttir