I am a stay-at-home mother. I have no political might to change the world. I don't know how to change the world (if we are honest, there is no straightforward, easy answer). All I know is that we can evolve the world into a kinder place, one family at a time.
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We live in a deeply polarised world. The bombs dropped in the Middle East. The senseless killings hit the streets of Jakarta, Manchester, London, so many places. Which side of the divide are you on?
The Irish statesman and writer Edmund Burke is credited for writing these words: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
The streets of my home country are under terror attack again. We are no strangers to it, in all honesty. Going back years ago, we lived in fear of the IRA. The streets of London were full or armed police and barricades. Now, the threat comes from another cause. I could get very angry about it. I could engage in long debates about the wrongs of taking innocent lives. I could debate UK foreign policies. What will I achieve? I will preach to the converted (namely those who are already sympathetic to my views) and by the same token, I will create more haters amongst the cadre of those whose beliefs conflict with mine. I will deepen the rift in our already split world. By putting angry words out there, or even words of reason, I will not get the peaceful resolution and healing I seek. I will only raise the anger quota in an already angry world.
What I chose to do today, on the day after the night London came under another terrorist attack, is to feed these al-Rahman children who live in a refugee camp, young victims of the same conflict. I have been sending them food parcels every few weeks. This is a photograph of them receiving my last consignment: since I blog so much about green smoothies, I think it is only right that I send them fresh fruits and vegetables (and eggs, too).
You might think that my little gift, given with love, is only a drop in the ocean, insignificant in the face of the huge ugly war raging in our world today. But imagine this: if every person who feels angry about world events just sends a little love instead of putting more hatred out there in the world (in terms of thoughts and words), just think how great the effect will be. I always have tears in my eyes when I read their little messages, translated by volunteers at Humanwire. They are always short and sweet, "Love you too! Thank you." Five words, and we are one, rather than British and Syrians.
A few weeks ago, I started an appeal on Humanwire (similar to the fruits I sent Aya, Iman and Adbel) for a Syrian young lady named Ayda. Ayda and her brothers were normal, hard-working university students whose lives had been torn apart by the similar conflict that tears our world apart today. My belief is that if we reach out to this family, we sow the seeds of love for the future.
Please join me and reach out to Ayda. Yes, you can Skype her, get to know her and together, we can build a better future even if bombs fall and senseless killings are going on today. With love, we can.
Click here to connect with Ayda. Every little click helps, even if it is just to share this message of love ❤
First published in www.raisinghappystrongkids.com
Photographs: author's copyright.