Caux Day Three - Pix

More scenes of Montreaux. This morning's talk was enlightening if a bit disenheartening.

Today we discussed Freedom from Want. In our group someone pointed out that although many areas of the world are poor in an absolute sense (ie. no food!) there are many people in affluent societies who feel poor. It seems that even satisfying basic needs does not end the feeling of being "poor". Thus in wealthy societies many people are poor because they always feel they do not have enough or should have more. Perhaps the solution, as one of our group pointed out, is to realize that wealth is wanting what we have and not yearning for what we don't have. If I always want more I will always be poor and uneasy.

It is disenheartening to learn about the true tragedies of poverty. One of our group was from Somalia and shared openly about the death and tragedy that come about when a nation disintegrates. Members of her family have died of starvation while, even at Caux, we waste food. When I think about the amount of effort required to change the minds of wealthy nations and make them willing to enable poorer nations to sustain themselves I can be overwhelmed by depression. To avoid becoming so sad that I am immobile I must focus on what I can change - me.

I believe even more firmly that only by changing me can I bring about change. I cannot give away what I do not have. Hating the wealthy nations is not the solution. Pitying the poorer nations is not the solution for pity soon turns to disgust. Accepting that we are all part of the same planet is crucial. When someone somewhere goes to bed hungry I am allowing a bomb to be planted in my bedroom.