AnElephantCant make a rhyme this week
It seems he just isn’t inclined
It’s that time of year
Which traditionally brings good cheer
So perhaps he has too much on his mind
AnElephant makes another uninspired assault on this great weekly challenge hosted by his friend Al, who is still achieving wondrous things with this site.
Please take a moment to check out this page to see some superb interpretations of the Japanese Haibun, a literary form which explores the relationship between the human experience and nature.
This week AnElephant uses some seasonal thoughts as his inspiration.
merry xmas by phil burns
Do They Know It’s Xmas
I remember that my father had an extensive repertoire of very bad songs.
Where they came from I have no idea.
But I recall one in particular from a very early age.
It always distressed me.
It was called ‘The little boy that Santa Claus forgot’ and told of a ‘laddie, who hasn’t got a daddy’.
And so he received no presents.
Now I make no attempt here to justify this song or its outdated lyrics, but there is a point to the reminiscence.
There are today, in the 15th year of the 21st century, millions of children worldwide who have no concept of Santa Claus.
Sad.
They have no concept of gifts.
Heart-rending.
They have no concept of education.
Just wrong.
They have no concept of clean water.
Unforgivable.
I am ashamed.
I am ashamed of myself.
I am ashamed of Scotland, the country of my birth.
I am ashamed of my beloved France, where I live.
And I am ashamed of every one of you, my cherished readers.
Unless there is one of you out there who, every day, does everything in your power to change this.
Because the rest of us do too little.
Every day we think about it, and every day we do too little.
we pay lip service
and small coins
in unforgivable futility
Sound Bite Fiction 
@”I am ashamed of my beloved France, where I live.” – why, SVP?…
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P.S. I love Scotland… c’est grave, docteur?! 😉
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You raise a good point. This question of how to deal with this issue always plagued me until I read something. Basically it went along the lines of if each person on this planet took care of his own little corner, selflessly giving to those around him whatever they need, then the world would be a much different place. So I try to take responsibility for my little corner, although I confess… I often fall short.
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We can’t help everyone but can do something for those around us. Even for one. I share your views and agree with them.
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I do what I can to help who I can. I have charities who I give to. I see people on the street and I will buy them a hot meal, or if I can’t afford that, a hot drink. Only once has that been tossed aside from someone who wanted the money either for drinks, drugs or gambling. There is only so much one person can do. But if two people would, that would double it, and if one extra person would when they see someone, it would double again. If we could actually make the difference …
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AnElephant takes us through the paces.
Xmas has many faces
Not all pretty or joyous
This post is courageous
Beyond sound bytes and homilies let’s think small effective shifts in thinking since the problems are immense. Because if we want things to change we have to change the way we think.
J’applaudis.
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How much of what we do is done to raise ourselves rather than others up? You raise a good point. Let’s determine to make this year the live to give initiative.
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