Them and Us! #ethnicity #religion #disease

Right now, the world is a bit of a  mess. There is the huge threat to world stability and peace with the tinder box of the Middle East in the throes of a Holy War. We have Russia wielding its might against the Ukraine - 'It is only a little country.' I hear you say, but let me remind you of the whereabouts of the beginning of World War 1. Africa can only be described as a proverbial mess. We have flexing of the muscles of the giants of SE Asia, and we have the United States and its coalition partners trying to be the peace makers and brokers when others, who have much more at stake, refuse to stand up and be counted.

kpbs.org

The very evolution of the world and its environs has meant the development of different races of different colour, different beliefs, different lifestyles, different languages. These differences are not exclusive to different continents but are abundant, even within countries, as man formed into tribes for survival. This very fight for survival has meant that man has fought man since the beginning of time. It is simply the magnitude of the battle, the ferocity of the fight and the loss of morals that makes today's battle such a despicable one. We have lost our way as a society. We are supposed to care for our fellow man, and yet, we remain silent when bad things happen. Is this because we have become so self absorbed that we cannot see past the next selfie? Is it because we do not want to stand up and be counted for fear that no-one will support us? (This does happen friends - all the time!) All too often there are those who make the bullets but, are not prepared to fire them, or take the consequences of their actions. Is it self preservation that makes us shy away from doing the tough stuff?

How easy is it with social media to feel we are doing our bit without actually doing anything. We simply hashtag the latest issue, feel righteous, then move on and not give a second thought to the actual plight of those involved. A classic example of this is #saveourgirls. Whatever became of this movement - too hard, too old?? I can remember at the time talking to others about these poor, unfortunate girls and saying that if they were not released, I hoped they had all been lined up and shot. It was greeted by stunned silence! However, I went on to explain that there is a fate worse than death, and these girls were likely to meet it. They will be raped, tortured, sold into slavery and a misery that few of us can imagine. To them death would be merciful, and welcome, but we have moved on to the next hashtag #icebucketchallenge, so our conscience is clear (apparently)!

In Africa, we have the ultimate enemy of Ebola, as it heeds no borders, no religion, no tribal ethnicity. We all thought this outbreak would be like others, where it hung around for a while, killed off a few, and retreated back to the rainforest. However, while the world (until recently) stood by and waited, this virus spread like the plague in the Middle Ages. Lack of hygiene, lack of will, corrupt governments, ignorance, and complacency from the West has let this crisis escalate till it is no longer just their problem (which we would happily ignore forever). Without Bill Gates the world would have waited forever, then screamed blue murder when it arrived on our doorstep. Oh sorry, that is different, as it is now 'us' and not just 'them'!

We have a very strong 'them and us' mentality today. All the way from religion, civil rights, health issues, and everything in between to whether or not daycare is good for kids. There is no 'them' and 'us' with sickness.It strikes indiscriminately! Yes, the battle may be different depending upon your circumstance, but it makes us face our mortality and realize that no one of us is any better or worse than another. It is how we play the game of life that will make a difference when our time has come. We will be able to say we lived a life well lived and done our very best for ourselves and others.

It is time those within religions stood up and be counted against their own who perpetrate evil. Stand up publicly and stand beside the country that has become their home, accept their customs and say enough is enough. We are firstly citizens and secondly a religion. It is time for us to become one community. The world is no longer a conglomeration of isolated tribes that occasionally happen to bump into each other. We live next door to each other, we travel through each others borders constantly. We need to respect each others beliefs, and way of life, while embracing the community as a whole. Through standing up for others - be it those less fortunate, the ill and infirm, religious and sectarian minorities, women, children - we can make the world a better place.

So drag yourself away from your cell phone. Be not afraid to actually take a stand a little more strongly than #selfiewithoutmakeup. Have a look at those Kurdish women who have taken up arms to fight evil. They are real women with real issues and real courage. Instead of 'Them' and 'Us' let us try to become 'One'. We will not succeed in one day, and we do not have to do the quantum leap on the first day! But, by actually standing up for what is right and the rights of others, we and the world will prosper.

Maybe,just maybe, out of this mess a real Spring will rise!

#harshtag

What is a Gift? #life #talent #miracle

theguardian.com

When we talk of gifts, our minds turn to presents that we give for an occasion or reason.  However, whist these gifts play a very important role in expressing our feelings they are not the only context in which the word 'gift' can be used. One of the most beautiful gifts ever is the gift of life.  Who cannot help but marvel at the miracle of life when a new plant pops its head out of the soil to stretch its first  cotyledons towards the sunshine; or a chicken pecks its way out of the shell to emerge all bedraggled and wet only to morph into a yellow ball of fluff within a short space of time; or when the first cry of a newborn babe emits to herald the beginning of a new life. Life is truly a miracle and a gift. The gift of life continues to be a miracle throughout the entirety of life as a baby gives its first smile, takes its first step, as young love blossoms for the first time, as the body regenerates after sickness, and as the sun goes down on our lifetime, though the body and mind may be frail, we marvel at what each day will bring.

We simply have to look around us to appreciate the gifts that abound in our lives. The gift of nature, her beauty, her ferocity, her simplicity, her complexity shapes our lives and our futures. The gift of hearing enables us to be able to appreciate the beauty of music, the wonder of  speech and language, the comfort of waves lapping the shore and the excitement of a jet engine passing overhead. The gift of sight lays before us the beauty, and rawness, of a world laid bare. Through sight we witness first hand the very best and the very worst that life can bring. The gift of health is one we most often take for granted and fail to appreciate until we suddenly find it gone. All too late, we wish that we had taken care of the fragile gift of our health - not eaten that extra cake, had that extra glass of red wine, smoked that last cigarette. The gift of wealth is by definition the most diverse, as what one man defines as wealth, is poles apart from what another man may define wealth. Once we appreciate the gifts that define us, and the gift that our life really is, we will begin looking after not only ourselves but the world around us.
 
'Gift' is also used to describe a talent or a trait when people excel at a particular skill. What an apt and beautiful way to describe the skill of the musician, the genius of the mathematician, the flair of the artist and the ability of the top student. These are the people that make their field of expertise look flawless and simple. It is indeed a wonderful thing that the gifted in humanity are all gifted in a different way. How boring would it be in a world full of gifted scientists that solved mysterious formulae. The gifted have given us the works of Shakespeare, The Sistine Chappel, the Hadron Collider, Disney Land and Facebook to give you a microcopic example.Without our gifted and talented the world would indeed be a poorer place.

Whilst not every person is gifted in a genius type of way, I believe that each and every person is gifted in their own way. In a world where many choose to terminate their Down's Syndrome  pregnancies, I always marvel at the sunny nature of these children and adults and the gift of this sunshine that they add to our lives. Each of us deserves to be valued for the gifts that makes us the unique being that we truly are.

Some give the ultimate gift through donating their organs. Usually, the donation of organs involves the death of the donor and this selfless gift, not only from the donor but their loved ones, truly does mean a gift of life, as the recipients would surely die without this most significant gift.  

The gifts that touch our lives (which in themselves are a gift) are many and varied. The gifts vary from the material, to the emotional, to the imaginary, to the real. Whatever form the gifts in our lives take they are part of us, they shape us and the world around us. Give thanks for your gifts, appreciate them, take them by the throat and run with them!

en.wikipedia.org

A Natural Alternative #examinationbedsheets #surgicallinen

This week with a spring of excitement we venture along with Medical Search (www.medicalsearch.com.au) to promote what we here at WinC Wrap in Cotton believe in.  At WinC we believe in natural.  We believe that our products be friendly to the environment and we believe that our relationships are as natural as the sun rising in the morning.

If you are a believer in a disposable society then WinC Wrap in Cotton is not for you.  If you are a believer in a sustainable future then you have come to the right place.

At WinC we started our business in 2012 with our gift wrap range with our motto of   'The gift that keeps on giving'.  To this day we still believe that our wraps are the look of the future. Let's face it furoshiki has existed for centuries in Japan (Nara period). Yes, we have taken a modern twist to that age old wrapping method with great results, with the wrapping itself being part of the gift itself. Being true to the environment, and bringing many years of use and memories, rather than paper wrapping which ends only in waste tips and, as revenue for disposable producers.

At the end of 2012 we had a call from a surgeon who asked if we could make sheets for his surgery. His words were "I am sick and tired of paper sheets having to be peeled out of patient's cracks" . We assume he was talking surgery scars, he he. Since that time, we at WinC have been making fitted sheets for examination beds, modesty sheets and pillow cases to individually fit doctor's exam beds and beauty care beds in their corporate colours. No, our products are not cheap and nor is their quality.  These surgical sheets are made to order, hand made (not mass produced by sweat houses overseas) and a made to last. They are made of hospital quality fabric, and strong elastic, of which, none shrink, fade, or go out of shape.  They, like our other products, are made to keep on giving.  We individually tailor your linen and individually tailor a delivery that suits you no matter what part of the globe you are in.  

So, if you believe like WinC Wrap in Cotton, that you need a natural product that is tailored to your needs and, if you believe mass production leads to mass disappointment, then WinC Wrap in Cotton is the place to shop.  We have a page on this blog that features our linen and how a couple of our customers feel about our product. Have a read!

Contact us today and speak to a real person who can guarantee your linen will keep on giving years of productivity. 

Firm Believer

Winc Spurt
Contact: jennyadmin@wincwrapincotton.com
or
sales@wincwrapincotton.com

Examination Bed Sheets in Corporate Colours