Making a Living

I’m one of those people who has a vastly varied “routine”. In fact hardly any two days are alike in any way. One day I may be working as an Uber driver and another Directing TV, (you really can’t get much more diverse than that by the way)! On really slow days I have the luxury of sitting down with a good book and a coffee and actually enjoying the free time. Traveling around the world I’ve often noticed just how hard people work to make life work. Here in the west we call it “making a living” but in many parts of the world there is no such thing as making a living, or having a job, instead work is an essential part of every day life just for survival. Todays picture shows a woman tossing rice in the air on a screen to separate the chaff and stones from the edible rice. The process is skilfully carried out as I watch but then it occurs to me that this really is not easy at all. “How long did it take for you to learn how to do that?” What a silly question I’d just asked! “The translated answer, “I don't know, I’ve been doing it since before I can remember.” Of course you have! And you will likely be doing this until long after most of us will have put our feet up somewhere to relax.

Life around the world is so much harder than we know. In my own case the rate of pay between the various jobs I currently work is vast. Even the lowest paid, simplest of jobs would seem like a fortune to someone who has to spend hours every day sifting rice to be able to prepare dinner for her family. This woman can work hard and do it all again tomorrow with absolutely no chance of ever escaping from the poor situation in which she finds herself and her family.However tough today was, and however hard tomorrow may be, I have again to remember Philippians 4:11 “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” Pictures like this one are firm favourites. They remind me of how much I have to be thankful.