One of the Lucky Ones

On 3 February 2012 09:28,xxxxxxxxx (xxxxxx@xxxx.xx) wrote:

Dear big scary Person

I'm Edgar Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx and I don't know you yet as I've only been born
yesterday afternoon in Winchester Hospital, UK. I know my Mama well
and also my Papa and got a taste of my sisters and
also of my Yaya who is visiting...

I had a birth weight of 3.7kg, am 55cm long and was 17 days late (albeit
"experts" are still debating what my real due-date was). Tonight I'll be
sleeping in my very own bed as both Mama and I were doing very well and
hence they let us go home already.

I hope to get to know you soon!

Edgar

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3^rd February, 2012

Dear Edgar,

Welcome to this world!

I'm sorry about the rather parlous state it is in at the moment, but we haven't been very good in our global housekeeping these past few decades and the place has got rather dirty and run down compared to what it was.

Nevertheless, It is still the most hospitable place I happen to know of, within this Universe, and I'm sure you and others of your generation will be much better "globe-keepers" than the ones that came and went before you.

Might I also say that you are a very lucky person. I say this for many reasons.

The first is that you have been born into a family with a Mom and a Dad as well as two delightful, healthy siblings. That puts you immediately ahead of most of the other babies born around the world today.

The second reason is that you have been born to parents and siblings who will and are able to love you, care for you, and feed and clothe you according to - and far beyond - your needs. You will never know chronic hunger or suffer from undernourishment like most of your brethren who were born with you. You will never be too cold or too hot, for you will have the comforts of heating and air-conditioning. You will never have to think about that cup of water that you draw from the tap in your home to quench your thirst and how it got there. You will quench your thirst and toss away the balance without even being aware of the fact that day by day, many of those born with you are dying for lack of clean water or water of any sort for that matter. When the time comes for you to walk, you will have shoes to wear - that puts you ahead of more than half your brethren born today.

The third reason is that you have been born into a country free of conflict, war and foreign invasion. That puts you ahead of more than a third of your brethren. (The fact is that you have been born into a country that has done most of the invading, enslaving, destabilizing and subjugating of other countries in the world in recent history - but, no doubt, you and your generation will fix that).

The fourth reason is that your parents will make sure and be able to provide you with a good education from pre-school through to University. You will have a school to go to - many of your brethren do not. Your school will have teachers to teach you - many of the schools your brethren attend do not. You will have books to read and learn from, stationery to write on and all the benefits of the modern digital era to obtain, collate and disseminate information and knowledge. Half your brethren will not.

The fifth reason is that you will frequently go on holiday. Half your brethren will barely even know the meaning of the word.

The sixth reason is that your parents will never sell you or hire you out to sweatshops, the pornographic industry or to pedophiles. Many of your brethren, from as young as five years on will be.

The seventh reason is that you will never have to leave your family and go to far away cities to work as a domestic child-servant, where, very likely you will suffer physical, mental and sometimes sexual abuse. Many of your brethren will.

The eighth reason is that, whenever you fall ill, you will have medical care close at hand. You will have a hospital or clinic to go to, there will be doctors and nurses to attend you, they will have the appropriate diagnostic aides and equipment to examine you and they will have medicines to dispense to you. That is a privilege most of your brethren will never enjoy.

The ninth reason is that you have been born with very fortunate colour of skin. The chances are you will never be spat on, harassed, abused, or assaulted by strangers because of it. When you go for a hike in your country and stop at a country pub, you will not be refused service or made to wait until every body else is served before you are, (or patronized and discriminated against in numerous other ways) because of it (I was and many others are - frequently). When it comes to your career, you will walk through barriers, doors and ceilings which you won’t even realize exist, purely because of your fortunate colour.

I could go on and on, but the simple fact I hope you will realize one day, is, Edgar darling, you have been BORN LUCKY and PRIVILEGED!

The tenth and most important reason is that you have been born to two wonderful parents, who will always be there for you and always do their best for you - believe me, I know them! SO MAKE THE MOST OF IT!!!

Good luck and congratulations to your Mom, Dad and siblings and may your good luck follow you and grow with you always!

All my love and good wishes!

Big, Bald, Black, Scary Uncle Harin :-)