The world is mine

Soon we will all be caught up in pre-Christmas activities, shopping for gifts for children, loved ones, family and friends. Parties of all sorts will crowd our social calendars and limes galore, given the society we have become. Gay abandon…have a good time regardless.

It is a known fact that we are generally a generous people, who are always willing to help out those in distress, whether it be the result of a national disaster or poor people who need medical help. So, helping out is almost always on our radars.

This Christmas I want to place some focus on those people who suffer with some of life’s disabilities and while sometimes their incapacities stem from certain life situations or caused by accidents of various kinds, they live very tough lives and some thought should be given to these people.

What sparked my interest in such people is an email I received recently from a dear friend, a poem, whose author is unknown, highlighting several cases of people who live normal lives in spite of their disabilities. The name of the piece is ‘The World is Mine’.

The words of the poem made me feel very grateful to God and are a simple reminder that there is so much for which we should be thankful as we go about our daily chores. My friend said, “Give the gift of love; it never comes back empty”. Here goes:

Today, upon a bus, I saw a very beautiful woman

And wished I were as beautiful

When suddenly she rose to leave,

I saw her hobble down the aisle.

She had one leg and used a crutch.

But as she passed, she passed a smile.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine

I have two legs; the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.

The lad who sold it had such charm

I talked with him, he seemed so glad

If I were late, it’d do no harm

And as I left, he said to me

“I thank you, you’ve been so kind

It’s nice to talk with folks like you

You see,” he said, “I’m blind.”

Oh God, forgive me when I whine

I have two eyes; the world is mine.

Later, while walking down the street

I saw a child that I knew

He stood and watched the others play

but he did not know what to do.

I stopped a moment and then I said,

“Why don’t you join them, dear?”

He looked ahead without a word.

I forgot, he could not hear.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine

I have two ears; the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I’d go.

With eyes to see the sunset’s glow.

With ears to hear what I should know

Oh God, forgive me when I whine

I’ve been blessed indeed, the world is mine.