Travel

Opens......

Opens your mind and rounds you out!

Cities, make you busy, walk faster and also find the patience you didn't know you had.

Being back in Toronto for the 4th time is like 'coming home' but after a couple of weeks here we realise it's NOT home, definitely not the city anyway. We are not city folk but it's good to visit for a while. Good to be part of the throng.

It's not a bad city, people are really friendly but like all cities, it is a melting pot of human stew from all walks of life and its poverty is very much on show, as it absolutely should be. We must not hide our failures.

I'm glad to be in the city and to be reminded of how low we can go. Most people are only one pay cheque away from a big problem and thats the truth.

Do we get desensitised to human suffering? I really hope not but I think we must!

I don't see it enough where I live in the genteel Lincolnshire countryside. So when I'm reminded of the folks discarded by modern society it does shock and yes, I do feel guilty. I give to charities, of course I do but it isn't enough is it?

Here in the winter there are people sleeping on the railway vents to keep warm in deep winter. They sleep in lifts, on benches, in door ways and in a now cashless society their begging doesn't get them much. Imagine that? Trying to stay alive in freezing temperatures! Each day is just about survival. Many of us will never experience these hardships, the humiliation or societal shame, I'm sure.

I've never understood why in this day and age, homelessness is still a thing! There may not be a lot of authority housing (there should be) but there are a lot of empty homes. New builds shouldn't even be allowed to be built without an element of affordable housing included. Communities must have a robust anti homelessness, anti child poverty policy (take care of the mother and the child will florish) and long term stable homes for those too fragile to build a life for themselves. Charities? Thank god for them but they should be value added and not the only solution.

Sometimes all people need is a leg up, a bed, a shower and access to clean clothing, a hair cut and help with search for a job. For others it's more complex but no one should be left behind. With rents way above where they should be and options to buy really few and far between once renting, it's becoming an impossible task to keep a roof over our heads, keep warm and safe with food in our bellies. The basics we need to start/live our lives.

This world is concentrating on 'credit worthiness'. How does a person get started or even restarted once the shit hits the fan? Who are we helping here? Banks that want zero risk? Thats not banking!

This is a world built by humans for humans and yet......some are more equal than others!

Life is sometimes unpalatable, yes but we must not close our eyes and ears to the suffering around us whilst ordering yet another gift to self Amazon parcel. I believe humans doing life and living well should give back without being prompted. They often don't. They just sit on their wealth, wealth most people could only dream of.

There are enough billionaires in the world now to end world poverty permanently! They choose not to.

Most of us have that natural built in guilt, wanting to share our wealth and by wealth, I don't mean millions but if you are comfortable and able to afford a little extra, use it wisely, make it count, share where you can. I know we live in a world that lets the super wealthy pay less all round and it is a grim reflection on how our society has been built so badly. The poor pay more in so many ways and the rich just get richer. People have to make money, I get that but why do we not tax fairly? There's no excuse. It's a corrupt system isn't it?

If you are complaining about a person getting 500 a month in benefits, give your head a shake. Try it for yourself and see how it all works out? What that sort of life does is show you the stick not the carrot. Its subsistence living in a very commercial world. It's not your money, it's money we all pay in as we should to help the most vulnerable in society!

Why do we live in a society where female and child poverty is rife?

Why aren't families better off, more protected whilst bringing up the next generation? It's the most important job in the world but anyone would think it's an easy, natural job. The truth is giving birth takes more than it gives in the end. No wonder the birth rate is down! This latest generation recognises the sacrifice, the financial costs, the lack of a village and so they opt out understandably.

Who wants to be bringing up baby not having a fail safe? Raising children is everyone's responsibility.

More so, why do we have 'single mothers' and 'absent fathers'. Mothers are generally not single, they are often abandoned. Men opt out too often both in raising their offspring and paying for them. You'd think that by now, men were not able to run away from the responsibility or able to hide income.

Cities have it all on show for all to see and walk right on by.

Right across from our airbnb apartment is a Meth addict alley. Every morning, there's a queue for medicines but I wonder where they go from there?

Addiction in our society is a big problem often shoved under a rug somewhere. If you come from a family that can afford your treatment, all well and good but what about those that can't?

We've built a society where everyone is supposed to earn and stand on their own two feet but what about the large percentage that can't? Most of you might moan about those living on benefits but it's hardly enough to cover the basics and with rents rising way above the average wage, inflation and a cost of living crisis we just seem to accept, there will be people left behind. Sod em right?

No.

The same goes for those starting out and those winding down. Most young people are starting with uni debt and struggling to get those first jobs whilst many over fifties are being filtered out of jobs by AI ageist parameters. Apparently earning is for the miraculously experienced but too much experience is not required.

Most of us will continue working until we are 70/75, leaving us just a decade or more if we are lucky to live as we wish but on the meagre funds we've managed to build. Building those funds is now more difficult than ever. Debt is higher than it's ever been and I guess something has to give but what?

The delusion is that pensions and saving will save us. Who has the spare money to save and state pensions will not cover you I'm sorry to say.

Society isn't improving is it? If anything its becoming more unballanced. More unfair. More people falling out of the system meant to protect them? Most countries mental health services are already outdated and severely under resourced.

What’s the solution? We are already taxed too much. The crisis is real.

I think local authorities need to take back budgets for housing, training, mental health, special health services for their people, for their families. Use it wisely and add in private investment. Be held accountable. You shouldn't be able to operate a wealthy low taxed business in any community, without giving back a substantial amount to the community. We must evolve.

The sheer waste of money on contracts to build new infrastructure because of corruption is sickening. That money alone could help millions of people. Don't get me started on META, GOOGLE, AMAZON, FIFA.......you get it right? The amount of money being made is utterly mind boggling and the world does not run any better for it.

If we level up and account for everything spent properly then this world would be a much better place. No doubt. They will say they give back but it's not enough to even out the enormous tax breaks they get! Funny how commercial debt is okay but personal debt can ruin you for 6/10 years!

Mothers cannot be left to fail or continue to be beholden to men to feed their families. This is patriarchy and it doesn't work. It only serves to make women and children more vulnerable. Those mothers often give up everything to parent and end up loosing way too much along the way. One day they are free from child rearing but face age related discrimination getting back to work!

Even now we are not paying enough attention to women's health from cradle to the grave, yes its better but like mental health, we talk the talk, now we have to walk the walk!

Why is child hunger a thing in this day and age? Screw the sell by dates! All shops/restaurants must be made to give that food away, not throw it away! It should be passed on to charities and community hubs. It makes me sick to think there are kids out there, at school, without decent clothing and full tummies!

Madness right?

It's all wrong but still we walk on by.

Travel does indeed open one's eyes but it's what we do with the experience that makes a difference. We can all make changes, there's no real excuse. If you can, volunteer. Raid your over stuffed cupboards to help a young family set up a home. Raid your wardrobes for the good clothes that you'll never wear. Donate food, toiletries, bedding, female hygiene products, nappies, formula, pet food. Put toy boxes together and pass on those well read books. Sponsor a family if you can. I know thats a big ask for many but those that can should. Talk about poverty with your children, help them see the world as it really is. Maybe then we will raise a generation of young men and women brave enough to tackle the issues!

If you run a well established business doing well, get trainees on board and make sure you employ the over 50's too! Those that want and need to work should not be discriminated against for being young or older.

Shame on us.

We have to ask ourselves 'where is the humanity'?

We talk endlessly about 'human rights' but we have yet to put in place a basic standard of living for every human born, that doesn't involve a job. A job should add to your life but there should be a right to a roof, food, medical, clothes, education, water, heat and cool. It will have to come. From there we can move froward.

Yes, the shame is everyone's, some more than others.

There for the grace of god go we!

Thank you Toronto for reminding me I need to do better.

Love and gumption

D x