Apologiy/ How to use resources; How is Bin Laden just likethe rest of us?

[Chris Corrigan]

Julie:

No need to apologize...I think I was trying to support your point.  Funny
that it didn't come across that way.

All I'm saying is that most of us in the world, if we have nothing else at
least have this: functioning bodies, nimble minds, bright spirits and 24
hours in a day.  That was all folks like Nelson Mandela and Louis Riel and
Rigoberta Menchu and Ang San Suu Kyi had to their names.  And look what they
did.

I'm a big believer in just doing what you can.  Feeding one person takes
less than an hour.  You prepare a meal and you give it away.  Done.  No
government is going to make life that simple :-)

One time, I was doing a community consultation in Prince Rupert, on the
northwest caost of Canada.  We were fed by an Elders group, who insisted
that we eat first.  Where I come from, in Ojibway country in Ontario, it is
customary for the young men to feed the Elders first, so I was a little
uncomfortable.  But in Rupert, the Elders would not eat until we had our
food.  One Nisga'a woman explained to me that the young men must eat first
so they can be strong enough to look after the older ones.

In other words, you can only be useful if you are strong.  To me that was a
great lesson about burning out, and about doing as much as you can while
still staying healthy, lithe and spirited.

So, apology not accepted....it wasn't necessary.

:-)

Peace back to you,

Chris

Julie Hotard wrote:

> Hi, Chris
>
> I am so sorry if my previous communication
> sounded like I was saying that poorer people
> have nothing to offer.  I certaninly don't believe
> that.  Some of the poorest and most disabled
> folks I have personally worked with are
> an inspiration to me.
>
> The choices that you mention about how to use
> resources are personally a struggle for me--
> choices about how to spend my energy,  money,
> time, and spirit.  I did some very meaningful work
> that seemed quite useful and helpful to people in great
> need for around 15 years.  But then I felt very burnt out.
> It was a great relief to take a break and do more superficial
> and less meaningful seeming work.
>
> With my money I am aware that my government
> here in the U.S. takes tons of it yearly in income
> taxes-- enough to feed tons of people during the
> next year-- but then uses that money mostly to do
> other things, most of which I personally do not want
> done.
>
> With my after-tax income I also have difficult
> decisions.  I have contributed hundreds of dollars
> to the Red Cross recently.  Was it enough?  Was it
> too much?  Should some of that have gone to my
> niece's college tuition fund?  How responsible
> should I feel financially, political activism-wise
> etc. for multiple sufferings going on in multiple
> areas of the globe?  It could easily get
> overwhelming, even to try to keep track of it all,
> much less contribute.  Should priority go to
> the folks whose lives my own government,
> against my will, has made worse?
>
> I hope I have not created ill feelings between us.
> If I have, I am sincerely sorry about that.  This is
> a difficult time for many of us in North America
> and in the world all over, and emotions are running
> intensely.  I do not want to send even a tiny drop of
> pain toward anyone, least of toward someone making
> such a major contribution to the world by working with
> the populations you work with.
>
> Peace,
>
> Julie
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chris Corrigan" <corcom at INTERCHANGE.UBC.CA>
> To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2001 10:33 AM
> Subject: Re: How is Bin Laden just like the rest of us?
>
> > I work with some of the poorest people in Canada.  People suffering
> > mental illness, AIDS, physical disabilities, racism, hunger and
> > illiteracy.  Some of them give more of themselves to their communities
> > than is even conceivable by "richer" people.
> >
> > We all have different amounts of money, but we are all equally rich in
> > spirit.  People make choices about how to spend both.
> >
> > Peace,
> >
> > Chris
> >
> > --
> > CHRIS CORRIGAN
> > Consultation - Facilitation
> > Open Space Technology
> >
> > http://www.chriscorrigan.com
> > corcom at interchange.ubc.ca
> >
> > RR 1 E-3
> > 1172 Miller Road
> > Bowen Island, BC
> > Canada, V0N 1G0
> >
> > phone (604) 947-9236
> > fax (604) 947-9238
> >
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--
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

http://www.chriscorrigan.com
corcom at interchange.ubc.ca

RR 1 E-3
1172 Miller Road
Bowen Island, BC
Canada, V0N 1G0

phone (604) 947-9236
fax (604) 947-9238

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