A realist in the sunshine.

Thankfully I have a very diverse group of friends. Some are very similar in temperament, or philosophy, others are so very different you would wonder how we ever got together much less stayed together. I cherish my friends, even the most contrary ones… they make me think about the world in different ways. What attracts me to people most is authenticity… a person who is unapologetically themselves, like ME. So the people who may on the surface seem different, share core values of honour, honesty and responsibility. Best of all we make each other laugh… a lot ;-).
This is especially true of the friends I visited last week, we have been friends for 35 years. They believe Angels of the Road is a huge waste of my time and resources. But our discussions have brought some issues to mind which I will likely tackle in blogs over the next bit.
My friend feels, and stated very emphatically, “Nothing changes… Nothing ever changes!” This could be a very discouraging thing to hear, given I’ve spent the last year of my life trying to find ways to change Canada’s shelter system for the better. But after considering the matter for a few moments I was struck by the thought that, if nothing ever changed… we, as a species would still be clubbing small animals and ripping their flesh off with our teeth. Not only do things change, but they have changed more in the last decade than in the previous century, and more in the last century than in the previous millennium. So things can and do change… we just need someone to point things in the right direction and start the ball rolling.
My daughter referred to me as a “silver lining kind of girl”… I like this. I’m not a Pollyanna delusional optimist; I am very much a realist. I see the clouds, I know what they indicate, but I choose to focus on that glint of sunlight peaking through from behind. Clouds come and go but the sun is always there, in the sky rising and setting.
Not going to talk too long tonight… I am back on the road in a city which appears to have no homeless people. I’ll check into that and give you the real scoop over the next day or so. If you haven’t guessed, all is good with the computer once again. The problem was with the power cord and my daughter has been able to hook me up with a replacement. So I'll talk to you all again soon. Have a joyous week.