Beyond the heart

"The world is on fire
It's more than I can handle
I'll tap into the water
Try and bring my share
Try to bring more,
more than I can handle"

So begins Sarah McLachlan's new hit song World on Fire.

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My last couple of posts have made it seem as if I'm in a hopeless love-hate situation. I'm not!
I'm the same person- with crazy ideas to change this world...jack of all trades, master of none....sigh
Soooooo....what's on my plate now?
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT...YEAHHH!!

To many people, when I speak or advocate for International development, it comes across as- 'everyone says that, no one does it'...wrong, you dudes n dudettes!
Every single person can make a change. Every single person can work towards making the lives of the people around them better. C'mon, it's in YOU
Don't you realise, that you're living in the 21st century? That does mean something, doesn't it?! It means we're waaay more advanced in technology, medicare, transportation, education and every realm of life. It means that these amenities are closer to you than ever before. However, the more you have, the more responsibility towards others and this is when things start getting serious.
If you still don't get it, below are a few of my reflections:

- I uploaded pictures of about 30 orphans to a website...it took me quite sometime to do it, since some pictures had to be resized, while others, edited. As I put them up one by one, I noticed how young those children were. Orphans. Some didn't have last names. Orphans. Perhaps they never saw their parents. Orphans. Scared, and lonely in this world, these Orphans.

- Rachel Corrie was killed by Israeli bulldozer...heartlessly, despite her friends' protests. And the world just watched. She was just 23- like us, in college, young...long way to go. Why did this have to happen to her? What worse inhumane action are you going to wait for, before YOU react?

- Attending War on Iraq rallies over Toronto made me see something I never had- the youngest of kids, with colourful 'No war' banners were there in the cold weather, and the oldest of men, women, who could barely walk, shouting slogans @ the top of their voice. People from different backgrounds, never been to Iraq, couldn't pinpoint it on the map- But they were united under the words 'We care about this world'

- Many years ago in Pakistan, while walking with my family and relatives towards the entrance of a theme park, a little kid came upto me, and nudged @ my shirt, trying to reach the coke in my hand. I was...stunned for a second- My mother told me to let go, and I did... can you imagine not being able to afford pop?

- This summer, working with a very smart, yet completely disabled student, I developed a bit more patience than I had. This guy, half the size of mine, aged 24, a pipe going through his neck, hands twisted and attached to a glass board in front of him....always determined to get to the answer himself. Being crippled taught him a lot in life, and he never stopped boasting about his cooking. However, there's no one for him to close the window if it gets too cold, or scratch an itch...or adjust himself in his wheelchair, if he's feeling uncomfortable.

- A friend's younger sister, as old as me, whom I and a friend went to visit, afflicted forever with Rett's syndrome- diseases that occur one in millions or thousands, and you'd never think it could happen to you, or someone you know... she'll never be able to walk again properly, let alone speak

- Engineers Without Borders. An organisation with the mission to promote human development through access to appropriate technology. Bunch of university going kids devoting their lives NOT to bars, parties and shopping, but to innovative ideas to get everyone to love development work. Do I admire them!


More on this...later!

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• In the spotlight — EWB in New Sarah McLachlan Video
• World on Fire
• A previous post- What do you want to do for Pakistan?