~the truth of poverty all over the world will not change with me writing about it, unfortunately. I don’t really expect people in that situation to read this blog - I expect they have better things to do, like worrying about the roof over their heads.

If they are reading this, there is still not much to be said. except perhaps: I hope you aren’t too proud to use fascilities like foodstamps that do exist for people in your situation. For those of you in Africa, I hope that whether you live or die - you can manage to keep things peaceful. I do believe dying with your principles intact is better than living having broken them.

But I do realize that this is very easy for me to say - sitting in a heated room, with two pc’s running, rich parents (though I’m not rich myself by Dutch standards), and a job application going out in which I will be working precisely the hours I want and growing as a person and a professional as well (obviously: I hope I get it, I think I stand a good chance). Compared to most people all over the world - I have it good.

For people in the US specifically: poverty in has been rising in the US for decades. 10% of the population is on foodstamps - and most of them were already on them.

For the richer part of the population this crisis is something new - but for many on the bottom of USA society, it doesn’t change much - except perhaps donations to good causes.

So if the last bit of my blogpost is troubling to you - you read it correctly. I am troubled by poverty. I am troubled by this crisis.

And those suffering from it have only one road to follow: minimize the impact on themselves by asking for the help they CAN get, and making sure they change their own lives so that they can get out of this mess. [I'm probably repeating myself saying this.]

I study the philosphy of many paths to find awakening of self and compassion is a beautiful way of sharing heart or greasing the mechanisms of this human design, but I find that in compassion there is always a clinging that happens when the emotions find attachment… my study has recenlty brought me to self awareness of attachment and how important we find the things in our life are… how much of it do we really need? and in separating during a tragedy how do we find the mind to let go without want?… where is the fine line to let live the love without a need?… Wu Wei a beautiful path, but one shouldn’t clean out the attic and put everything in the garage and forget that there are others that breath the same air within that space…

Peace to all and may each day of 2009 be like the first of the year resolute that nothing truly ends….

(excellent Blog by the way)

That said, the last 2 or 3 paragraphs bothered me though. It almost sounded nonchalant when you stated, “Poverty levels will rise”. I can tell you that it’s not so nonchalant for those of us struggling to keep a roof over our heads!

In the next paragraph you write, “Those who can afford to can start sowing the seeds for the next spring…” What about all of those who can’t afford the seeds? Must they go hungry next spring and summer?

As for the Feds - I don’t think calm and loudspeakers go together very well… And I would rather see politicians than stock brokers myself.

I’m hoping that Obama listens to Jeffrey Sachs - the latter was on Dutch tv yesterday and he’s got ALL his priorities in order, seems to me. He knows exactly what the American people need to hear, but don’t want to (infinitely cutting back on taxes does NOT combine well with a government that takes responsibility, for instance).

I could go on about that subject for an hour: Sachs was very convincing about a number of issues from world wide poverty levels to population explosion to the environment and and the economic crisis as well.

Very insightful post!

Kimberlee