book of eli

Matt had been raving about this movie "The Book of Eli" for quite some time. Okay not really raving but anxiously waiting for it to arrive via post so he could watch it with me. Everyone I spoke to said "You have to see it." Finally, I saw it. It's sci fi. It's apocalyptic. It's got a great message.

As all disaster or apocalyptic movies do, they make me want to plan for preparedness in case of disasters. For example, buying a few gallons of water in case the water lines break and stocking up on matches, candles, trash bags, and propane camping grills in case you're stuck in your house for days waiting for zombie attacks to subside. Also I wish I had some panic room or automatic gate that comes down over my windows that makes them all zombie proof.

The other part, much more normal, is it makes me ridiculously grateful that I have clean running water and a roof over my head and that I'm not living in a world where, again, I'm desperately trying to find food that's not been contaminated by zombie diseased blood or all eaten by crazed humans.

But...

It reminds me, dearest friends, that sadly, there are people living like that RIGHT NOW. There are people that are sleeping outside in the streets because they have no home. There are people that are killing each other for morsels of food. There are people that duck and hide when they hear planes and whistling bombs. There are people that just want a shower and a drink of clean water.

It's so easy for me to get lost in materialism. But it's even easier to remember that I didn't always have a good job and plenty of food in the kitchen. And always I remember that we live in freedom. Glorious freedom that allows us to walk around and go to school or work without fear. And even if we live humbly, we are still living better than a vast majority of the world.

And if you feel so inclined to give from what you have, I recommend this organization.