In the barrel

There comes a time in many people's lives when they feel a change is needed. In my case, all my children had left home, some were married, others working. We had moved from New Zealand to Australia and that was a good change, but somehow something completely new was needed. Like most women I had suffered from time to time with a bit of depression, and sort of felt that I just needed to do sometihng different. I'd made enquiries about TESOL teaching in China, and wow it sounded so good.  I felt like I was in a....well....a barrel.......

There have been so many conspiracy theories released into the world that no one knows what to believe any more. The earth is flat and if you are not careful you will fall off the edge. The world is round, supported on the back of an elephant standing on a giant turtle. Aliens landed in America in 1947 and the Americans kept them and dissected them, but never told anyone. Man has walked on the moon. No, the Americans have never been to the moon, it was all fabricated. And just what the man on the street is supposed to believe about religion or politics is like walking a minefield of beliefs, and no one knows the rules.

However, there is one underlying truth. The world is round, and it hangs on nothing. This is the solid, tangible, hard, put-your-hand-on-it-and-feel-it’s-there type of place. It’s covered in dirt or salt water. It’s slowly getting grubbier by the day due to man being a very messy creature, but it’s there, and so far still supporting human life.

There is however, a second intangible world. You cannot see it, but it exists just as the actual planet exists. Most people know about it, many people have been there, and millions are in it now. It’s a barrel filled with four varying amounts or levels of ‘stuff’.

At the top there is clear water, full of people currently bobbing around, keeping their heads above water, and getting by day to day. Some have life jackets on, but many spend a few minutes each day concentrating on staying afloat. Other than that, their lives are fine.

There are a few people who don’t know that the barrel exists. They are the ones with Alzheimer’s or are so well heeled that they are far above the level of barrels. Mind you, later on they are quite likely to end up there.

The level under the clear water consists of dirty water. There are millions here too. They bob up and down to get a breath of air, and life for them is more of a struggle. They have to put in quite a bit of effort to keep their heads above water. They have family problems, job problems, child problems, behaviour problems. All in all they get by, but it’s hard going.

The next level down is mud and this level is full of people. Getting up to the top for a breath of air happens less often. Pills and potents help. Vitamins, anti-depressants and large amounts of therapy are dispensed at this level. Everyone knows that everyone else is there, but they don’t have much energy to help others. The struggle is constant, and life is hard. It would be much easier to wake up dead the next morning rather than have to face another day in the mud, but that easy option isn’t usually available, so they keep swimming round and doing what they can.

The bottom level is mire. Not everyone gets into the mire. This is where you blindly scrape your way around the bottom of the barrel. You know there are lots of people there too, but just staying alive takes all your energy, and you know it’s the same for everyone else. There is very little bobbing up to the top for air, and generally, although the sun rises and sets each day, you don’t notice it. It’s either black with grey around the edges or grey with black around the edges. Either way, it’s not a nice place to be.

Millions are born into the mire in countries like China, India and Africa, and don’t know any different. A constant flow of people slowly sink from the clear water to the mire and back up again. Some climb out of the barrel, and do something different. Some manage to take control of their lives and turn from ‘blue’ people to ‘sunshine yellow’ people. It takes courage and effort, but it can be done.

I thought it was time to get out of the barrel. A trip to China would do that!