Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
– Dr. Seuss

It was time for a coffee.

I went into the kitchen, picked up the electric jug and filled it with clean water that flowed freely from a tap in the sink. I switched the jug on. While I waited for the water to boil I ground some coffee beans (there’s nothing quite like coffee made with freshly ground beans) using our electric grinder.

I reached into one of the many cupboards in our kitchen and grabbed two clean coffee mugs (thank goodness for the plumbed in functioning dishwasher sitting beneath the kitchen sink).

The jug had boiled so I poured the hot water over the ground beans I had spooned into the plunger.

While the coffee was brewing I reached into the fridge for the fresh pastuerised milk stored there. I poured some in each coffee mug and then placed the mugs in the microwave – Lynsey likes his coffee “hot, very hot, oh my god holy cow hot” (he even asks for it this way when he orders it in cafes and restaurants). When I heard the bing of the microwave I removed the coffee mugs, placed them on the bench, pressed down the plunger and poured the dark brown coffee water into the mugs.

Almost ready … one more thing to do. Lynsey has a teaspoon of sugar in his coffee. I reach into the cutlery drawer, took out a clean teaspoon (so many to choose from), and reached for the sugar jar.

Voila, two mugs of coffee ready to go and I couldn’t wait to drink mine. This whole process took maybe 5 minutes from beginning to end.

Imagine if I had had to go to a well to get the water before I could do anything. Imagine if the water wasn’t clean – full of bugs and disease, not fit for human consumption. Imagine if there wasn’t any water, anywhere in the immediate vicinity. Imagine … imagine how life would be different.

Little things are not really little, they can be incredibly big and have a huge impact on us. I expect to have hot and cold running water in my home. I expect to be able to have a shower whenever I want in my home. I expect to have a functional toilet to use. These are not luxuries, they are the basic necessities of life. I could list a huge number of things that we expect to have access to in our homes and outside of them. How often do we think about how lucky we are to have what we have at our fingertips – water, power, food, shelter, health care, education, work. I know none of it is given to us, we have to work for it, but at least we can. We have options and we can make choices about how we live.

I often think what I do is insignificant – it makes no difference to anyone anywhere – yet in my heart I know this is not true. We can, and do, make a difference to others by making ourselves available to them and having an open mind. It is always good to be reminded to be grateful for what we have and not take it for granted. The power of one can be a mighty voice in bringing about change  so we shouldn’t let it remain silent or idle.

Manifesto
11. Every day do something for someone else.
15. Every day make a difference to yourself and others.
26. Every day take action. Every small step counts.

Today you are you, that is truer than true.
There is no one alive who is youer than you. — Dr. Seuss

After a long day spent mostly feeling like the new kid in the sandbox I was feeling more than a little frazzled for myself. You might’ve been there – you feel the other kids are bolder, bigger, smarter, cooler, and well, mysterious. I’m not normally like this – I usually take myself out of the situation and go do something more productive for myself. As soon as I got a clear shot I was gone, off, me and my camera on the mean streets of Dunedin.

And then I saw this truth taped to a sign, and it was just the wakeup call I needed. Dr. Seuss. I remembered The Cat in the Hat from primary school. I loved that book. The idea that a children’s book could be funny? That learning to read could be fun? Changed my life. And then, again, today. I immediately felt better – I didn’t have to keep up with the other kids, just get on with being the truer youer. That’s what really matters.

Meanwhile, back in the sandbox…? Who cares! I was off making photos and discovering what I could in the time I had available.

And that’s how life is.

Manifesto
23. Every day retain your personal power. It belongs to you. No one else.
25. Every day your light shines for others to see.
26. Every day take action. Every small step counts.