Bracelet

I’m still seeing lots of folks with various coloured wrist bands—I’m choosing to call them bracelets, if that’s ok. Most recently I had dinner with a women wearing a white band. “It’s for Make Poverty History” she shared with us at our shared table. “It’s my third one; I’ve worn out two already.”

Here’s the place she’ll order a new one when this one wears out.

One of the bloggers I follow recently went on a real rant about all the Pink! that surrounds us. Pink ribbons, pink clothing, pink facebook pages, pink comic strips. She was a breast cancer survivor and was downright furious that the whole “pink campaign” had become so commercial and phony. It reminded me of the criticism that Oprah’s Buy Red blitz generated a year or so ago. Do you remember why we were encouraged to choose all things “red” when we went shopping at The Gap, or Old Navy, or Banana Republic or the I-store? Me neither! Which was exactly the point.

This blogging cancer survivor had all kinds of suggestions for ways to make life better or easier or more comfortable for actual cancer sufferers. She had little regard for those of us who choose to buy a pink kitchen appliance and pat ourselves on the back.

Which brings me back to my friend with the white bracelet. Her I deeply respect. Because she’s a board member for Niagara Falls Community Outreach. She’s active in her community to feed the hungry and house the homeless. She knows the local politicians and lobbies them regularly for better policies to deal with the issues poverty creates. She’s currently busy raising funds to ensure those living with less, or with nothing, have a refuge where they can get a meal or a bed for the night. But she’s also taking a long look and campaigns for those whose values line up with hers, the elimination of poverty.

“We have no excuse to still have this much poverty in a country as rich as ours. I’d be happy to start with the children,” she said. But it’s clear she’s not willing to stop there! She really doesn’t care if we notice her white bracelet. It’s just to keep her focused.

If you’re wearing a similar band, of whatever colour, my question to you would be “what are you doing to make that wish come true?

Posted by Marion