Impoverished Despair

I bought a small white wristband today.

I also put a banner on my blog.

I've seen these banners and these small wristbands before, and I truly think that it's a very powerful and good cause. Make Poverty History.

I originally saw the banner on Adria's blog, and later saw the wristband on a friend's wrist a couple of weeks ago. I decided to look into it, and I truly think that there may be no better cause at this moment in time.

I have never suffered from poverty. I have never suffered want or despair. I truly don't think that many of us understand what it is to truly suffer from poverty. Of course we see the statistics, we see the images, and for those of us courageous enough, we see the first hand effects. But to truly feel the despair and desolation of poverty? To truly not know where your next meal is coming from?

Forget about all our petty worries, forget the stupid cell phone bill, or the internet bill. Forget about not being able to get that paintjob for your car, or that new designer pair of jeans. Forget about that hair care product, or those seriously cool sunglasses you want to buy. Forget about those shoes, or that DVD player, or that computer. It's all meaningless.

What isn't meaningless is trying to make the world a better place. Trying to help those people who literally cannot help themselves. We must rise above the inane meanderings of our lives, and assist.

I once read a book that proposed the idea that the purpose of life was "To Strive for the Infinite". This is a very ubiquitous statement which means that we must do everything we can to reach perfection, but that even though our journey may very well end in failure, we must continue to strive. What better way to strive for that infinite, than to try to end despair. To try to end suffering.

Join me in this simple yet powerful campaign to try and make the world a better place. Yes, I know this sounds corny, but as I've previously stated, the corny and cheesy lines are the ones that hold the most truth and are the most powerful. Buy a wristband, or put a banner on your website or blog, or write a letter, or write an email. Anything, so long as we help.

Help.

That's what we must do.