PEACE
December 25, 2001

At this time of year, regardless of race, creed, colour, ethnicity or religious beliefs one tends to look back introspectively at what has occurred in the past and of course what possibly could be on the horizon in the future. A good friend of mine sent the following piece to me entitled, "Perspective" a few months back and I can't think of a more appropriate look at the world currently with all that has transpired this past year. So, when you're frustrated at the guy who just scooped your parking spot at the mall. Pissed that you have to work or take care of the kids. Can't go for a beer with your friends and of course can't go for a slide after a big dump of fresh, think of how f*&%ing blessed we are to exist where we do on the planet! When I get into one of those moods, I have a quick read of the following piece and realize how trivial I am being.

Perspective: If Earth's population were shrunk into a village of just 100 people--with all the human ratios existing in the world still remaining -- what would this tiny, diverse village look like? That's exactly what Phillip M. Harter, a medical doctor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, attempted to figure out. This is what he found:

57 would be Asian
21 would be European
14 would be from the Western Hemisphere
8 would be African
52 would be female 48 would be male
70 would be nonwhite
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess
59 percent of the entire world's wealth, and all 6 would be from the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death
1 would be pregnant
1 would have a college education
1 would own a computer

The following is an anonymous interpretation:
Think of it this way. If you live in a good home, have plenty to eat and can read, you are a member of a very select group. And if you have a good house, food, can read and have a computer, you are among the very elite. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... you are more fortunate than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are fortunate, more than three billion people in the world can't. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy. If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare, even in the United States. If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone's hand, hug him or her or even touch them on shoulder you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are... To quote my hero, Nigel Tuffnel (Spinal Tap), "…. that's just too much f*&^ing perspective now isn't it!" Happy Holidays to all! Rock on!

- Sall