Midwinter Thoughts.

Rightly ho gentle reader … I am still dandering back and forth to work most days and this 5 mile wander there and back allows me the time and space to do something that kinda gets lost in the hurley burly of my life.

..and this strange “thing” is thinking.

I can think thoughts that don’t have the next meeting or current problem cluttering up the inbox of my attention. Being in the “social” side of IT is great but it does lead to cognitive constipation from time to time.

I would like to share with you my thoughts on the way home this evening, no startling insights, no fandabbydozy application ideas just some thoughts….

Since you are probably reading this on a lap top, PC, mobile phone or tablet I can assume that you like me are are sitting somewhere comfortable and warm probably just after a meal or a coffee with a nice jaffa cake or other choccie biccie. I know I am and it is coffee in a STIG mug with a Tunnocks Caramel Log!

I was thinking “how lucky am I? I have my wife, my son, my home I am warm I am well fed, watered and my worries minor, I am about to take 9 days of paid holidays, I am going to see family and friends and have a real good time”.

I have to say I was feeling more than a little smug … but it did set me to wondering just how lucky am I?

So I hit Google and a lookie see … I was gob smacked … now I know the world is not a pretty place but according to the World Bank (not an organisation know for it’s lefty leanings) there are 2 billion+ people on this blue marble we call home living on less that $1.25  a day (that’s £0.80 in proper money). To be blunt that is a full third of the world’s population would have to starve for 2 days to be able to afford a M&S Ham Sandwich!

According to UNICEF 21,000 children under the age of 5 died today. that is one child every 4 seconds! When we roll over into 2012 in a couple of days time 8 million children under 5 will have died of preventable diseases, hunger and poverty in 2011.

I will say that again … 8 MILLION!!!

Frightening isn’t it?

So as you prepare for the laughter and joys of this holiday period I would like to ask you to spare a thought for those both near and far that are not as lucky as you and I. Buy one less bottle of wine, spend a little less on presents, buy one less round of drinks at the pub and give what you can to whatever charity you like because it will make a difference!

Now that rather sad  yet important message has been said ….
all the McDonaghs at #14 and #10 wish all our friends, family, readers and basically everyone (including the people I don’t really like that much) a midwinter break full of  smiles, hugs, laughter and joy – just the thing to set us up for a good start to 2012. =-)

Love to you all
Steve, Val and Niall