spoilt

Place: My Office

Poison: Gingerbread biscuits

Favourite Things: our christmas production

I have recieved so many presents already for Christmas, and really honestly feel so spoilt.

The contrast of what I have seen so recently to what I am experiencing in Australia is just too great.

I am remembering the story around this photo and it truly makes me grateful for the family and life I have lived.

My little friend ‘Got’ stood at the end of their annual Christmas festival in Petchabun, middle of Thailand, sobbing as one of his carers, told me why. ‘Got’s mum was here today, he hadn’t seen her for three years, she is dying from Aids and she left the festival without saying goodbye to her son.’ I picked Got up, and walked away with him, trying to distract him, and hide the tears that rolled down my face. Just minutes later some of my friends came over, and one of them ‘BD’ picked Got up and walked him back to his villiage.

It was later that night as we sat resting after dinner that Got showed me cheekily, 20 baht that someone had given him. (to me it is less than a dollar, not even worth a cheeky grin, to a child who lives at a orphanage with many other children, it was a special treat.) So what any eight year old would do, Got screamed over to the canteen and spent his treasure on theÂ best icecream he could find. Waltzing back over too me, and sitting on my knee, with his ‘double chocolate cornetto’, he licked his newly purchased icecream with delight.

It was only what happened next, contrasted with the backdrop of this boys day, that rendered me speechless. He went on to share his icecream with all the children around, eventually giving it over to another child. He was more excited about watching his friends, eat and share with him, than he was at getting this 20 baht note.

In reflection of my christmas’ past, I am not sure I showed as much character at 28, net alone 8 years of age.