A Holiday Dream: World Peace, Zero Hunger, and New Leadership
I know I’m asking for a lot this year, but something has to give.
Too many people are bombing and being bombed, too many people are going to bed hungry at night, and too many politicians and world leaders don’t give a shit.
Let’s look briefly at each.
World Peace
Death and destruction abound. Israel/Palestine and Russia/Ukraine are the first two that come to mind.
But countries such as Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria are all currently experiencing civil wars, resulting in significant casualties and displacement.
Then there are the wars against opioids and other drugs, fighting over immigration and border protection, the battle against cancer, and the constant struggle to help the homeless and mentally ill.
John Lennon was murdered 43 years ago on December 8th, 1980, and his words still echo in our minds and fuel our hopes: “All we are saying is give peace a chance.”
How and when will all of these conflicts end? Only God knows, but we can still wish for peace.
Zero Hunger
According to the World Food Programme, “There is 400 trillion dollars’ worth of wealth on the earth today, and 9 million people die from hunger every year.”
When was the last time you threw out food? For me, it was this morning. I threw out three uneaten bananas that had spoiled. My heart hurts just thinking about it.
What would the look have been on a starving child’s face if they had been handed that piece of fruit? Priceless.
What can we do about it? For one, be better consumers. Let’s try not to throw food away because our eyes were bigger than our stomachs at the grocery store or we went without a list and bought excess randomly.
Second, give to your local food bank and other charitable organizations that are dedicated to feeding the hungry. It helps.
Going to bed hungry sucks. Imagine how it feels to be hungry all day, every day.
New Leadership
The leadership we have in place isn’t working. Things are getting worse, not better.
The death toll from ongoing wars, suffering, and starvation continues to grow while our hope and trust in our leaders continue to fade. Fortunately, most of us reading this post have the power to campaign and vote for new leadership that will put people ahead of politics.
Who are these future leaders? For Baby Boomers like me, we’re looking to the Millennials. They’re old enough to run for office yet young enough to have a fresh view of our shared dilemmas. It’s time we got out of their way and got behind them.
The holidays are a time for hope, not despair. In addition to my three wishes this year, I also wish for you to enjoy peace, prosperity, and optimism that better days lie ahead for us all.