Safety, a basic human right and something
we tend to take for granted. As long as we are safe and sound there is simply
no reason to worry, right?
Why question and bother if things are smooth sailing? I am not necessarily
promoting life in fear and advocating for mistrusting everyone, but sometimes
we tend to be unnecessarily careless with our health, our safety etc.
I just heard the unsettling news from a good friend of mine who lives in LA.
She told me how she was attacked and threatened with a knife recently, but
somehow she fought the attackers off and escaped the whole incident with a few
cuts and bruises. The external scars will disappear with time but that what is
hard to overcome are the invisible injuries; split seconds that may be relived
over and over again.
Those who have ever been in a similar situation know the feeling, myself
included.
I was lucky, very, very lucky.
My assault last year ended with ‘only’ a few bruises and scrapes. The external
wounds eventually healed, but I have never felt as safe anymore and I am always
watchful of my surroundings. I tend to get nervous if people walk too close
behind me and I often increase my pace or cross over to the other side of the
street.
Chances are usually very slim that one will be attacked repeatedly in the same
place but one’s mind is hard to trick into believing the facts.
We learn from mistakes, in fact we are trained to learn from danger, which is
helpful to avoid similar risks.
I wish I was there to help my friend, being familiar with the feeling I can
relate all too well.
Another friend complained recently how his girlfriend would be upset because
she felt he was too over-protective by worrying about her being out late at
night on her own.
I too used to wander around believing nothing would happen to me, as I was
careful, kept a low profile, until…
Me and my friend we were both somewhat lucky, I just feel sad thinking about
those who may have been attacked thereafter by the same perpetrators.
….funny how one never questions things, such as well-being, health, safety,
etc. until the coin flips and we are confronted with the other end of the scale.
Archive for March, 2006
Wealth = Freedom ?
I haven’t vanished off the face of the Earth,
no. I was reminded a couple of days ago that my blog has been neglected lately.
Aside from the usual hustle and bustle my inspiration seems to have hibernated
along with the sheer eternal winter here. Well, with mini spurts of spring in
between, but then just as you start digging out spring and summer clothes, you
realize it is snowing again.
What better way to defy merciless winter temperatures than by eating hot soup,
and since I am determined to make Thai soup, I decide to venture out, wrapped
in various layers, heading to Naschmarkt in search of Thai basil and Co.
I am lucky, most days I can shift my schedule around, for instance whenever I
need to give in to cravings for Thai food. On days like these I love my job, on
most others I do too.
While I spoon up the divine result of my culinary efforts I listen to some
social worker commenting on the radio. He is talking about something referred to as the "manager’s disease", pointing out that contrary to one’s
expectations there are more poor people who suffer from it. "One may
conclude that poverty causes more stress." He continues his monologue.
However, according to him this is only partly true and does not explain the
higher prevalence of the disease amongst those economically less favored.
Rather, the well paid manager is able to interrupt work more often by investing
into a brief escape, such as a weekend trip or a massage, and thus breaking
with the distressing pattern more easily than his poverty stricken counterpart
who has to keep going, driven by survival. While often others depend on him/her
as the breadwinner.
According to this theory less poverty
equals more freedom.
On the other hand, doesn’t wealth often generate stress on its
own? Worries about maintaining wealth and possible loss of it. So once again
the golden middle path seems to be the right one. But there is some truth to
the former theory. The one who does not have to work in order to survive is
able to interrupt work if s/he chooses to and leave stress behind.
I am not necessarily wealthy, but my job does allow for a certain amount of
freedom, such as taking an extended lunch break, walking down to the market,
simply indulging in culinary thoughts… and my thoughts wander back to the vendors who rise early, work
hard and late, defying the cold.
On days like these I do feel fortunate.
