If you can keep your head when all about you
are losing theirs and blaming it on you...
It's fair to say that Kipling's introduction didn't quite match my Saturday.
I was involved in a different sort of IF - you might have heard of it. If you know me at all you'll have heard me talking about it.
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim...
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss....
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
are losing theirs and blaming it on you...
It's fair to say that Kipling's introduction didn't quite match my Saturday.
I was involved in a different sort of IF - you might have heard of it. If you know me at all you'll have heard me talking about it.
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim...
Imagine a world without hunger.
Currently one in eight people go to bed hungry.
It's easy to imagine the possibility. And it's equally easy to think that reality is too difficult to change.
But this year the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign decided to challenge the system a little bit. And as a result 45,000 people gathered in Hyde Park. And I got to be there to stand up and say no to hunger and yes to justice.
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss....
I'm aware I'm taking Kipling's words out of their original context (the point of poetry...). But it's difficult to change the way we live to make a difference in others' lives. So often we forget to love our neighbour and we don't even imagine what it means to be hungry.
On Saturday I was inspired to be a part of that noise making movement. But on Sunday I feasted like a rich person and forgot to pray for change. Living differently means sacrifice and that's tricky. We all forget and we all live comfortably.
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
And that's what it's about really. Making the most of what we've got and using it to make a difference. We can all do something. I want to keep praying for change. I want to keep petitioning. I want to keep using my voice to make a difference. I want to keep inspiring people to think about justice.
There's another rally in Belfast this Saturday. I won't be there but I'm excited to hear how it goes. And as the G8 summit happens, I've never been more interested in politics. These are decisions that affect our world and how the future will look.
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it...
So what are we waiting for?
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