Water, water, everywhere...

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. Not the original words from Samuel Coleridge but the slightly embellished version I heard growing up.

These words keep floating through my head as I’m searching for a reverse osmosis system I can use in my temporary quarters. I keep thinking how much I wish I could just speak to Ryan - this is his field of expertise, yet there he his, thousands of miles away, probably wondering if and where they’re going to get water - never mind HOW it’s filtered (more likely simply hoping it’s safe to drink). I also realize he's helping those that really need his help, his expertise. It's comforting.

I also think of my grandmother’s description London water (it’s so good - a great visual,  it deserves special attention):

London Water: you sieve it through a ladder and what doesn’t fit, you beat to death with a spade.

I hope I’ve quoted that correctly - my grandmother was a very funny person (but that’s a story for another blog - truly).

I’ve spent the last week or so dealing with all sorts of issues - broken electronics from my latest move, bills that insurance was supposed to cover, the aforementioned water filter, missing cable equipment, and all the usual day-to-day things that need doing. When I really think about them, one thing stands out to me - they are all first world problems. Well, clean water isn’t - but my problem is the stench of Scottsdale water, not (hopefully) the actual potability of it. So this brings me to my next question - are those of us with #firstworldproblems more ‘stressed’ than those with #thirdworldproblems?

Common sense would dictate that third world problems would be more stressful because according to Maslow’s Hierarchy, our basic needs must be fulfilled in order for us to grow and thrive.

 In third world countries, the basic needs - food, water, safety - are often not met and I’m pretty sure that’s what our LR-5ers are doing in Liberia - helping with these basic needs. Then I got to thinking - do you actually receive more support if your basic needs aren’t met - do you oddly have some backwards advantage? I remember my mum telling me that you either had to be very, very well of in this country or very, very poor… Given the choice, I think we just need to redefine our ‘problems’ and look at the big picture. It’s very humbling.

Then I came across this on Facebook from Humans of New York (a wonderful page to follow - and many other similar ones have spawned on the success of this one):

I think this brings it all home - you can have all you want or you can have nothing, it comes right back to the basic needs. The need for security, the need for love and the need for belonging.