this post was submitted on 22 May 2025
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[–] PeelerSheila@aussie.zone 12 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (26 children)

Actually one thing I wanted to share with you guys was that somehow this week I managed to read a book! I used to be a massive bookworm when I was younger, until one of my nervous breakdowns when I discovered that I struggled to finish one page of a book without my mind wandering and me giving up. But I found this book in a street library called First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung. I have a friend from my high school days whose background is Cambodian, so I was interested. He's told me in the past that his earliest childhood memory was when they left in a boat and came here. Reading that book, man it was gripping. The things that little girl and her family experienced, Jesus Christ. It had me enthralled how she survived, how much guts she had.

When I finished the book I gave thought to something else I read recently with a chart, about how most people in Australia and other modern western countries are amongst the richest 20% of the global population. When I think "richest" I usually think of the 1%. But apparently if you have a car, have a roof over your head, shower daily, can easily access food, turn on the tap and drinkable water comes out whenever you want it, have an education and stuff like that, you are among the world's richest 20%. It really made me think, you know? And it made me feel really grateful, grateful for my life and the lives my kids live. It made me realise that I am rich in a lot of ways, and it made me feel really thankful.

Enough of my ramblings, just wanted to share my mind space of this week. Have a lovely evening you guys!

[–] just_kitten@aussie.zone 5 points 7 months ago (3 children)

You've inspired me to get off the usual screens and finally get started on a book I've been meaning to read for a while - Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's starting off really well! I'm going to go back to it after this comment, but...

I had a closer relationship to lower living standards growing up, still very much first world but things like your own patch of grass, the space to not live constantly surrounded by others, a relaxed way of living, wide open spaces and yes, having a car for many people, were all almost unattainable privileges. And just one generation removed my family came from a country that definitely had much less: I remember the constant power cuts, military checkpoints, curfews when I visited (and we were considered privileged back there, having migrated away from it all). Parents had their stories of lining up for rations, the bombings, the terror...

Yet I still often fall into the trap of the hedonistic treadmill and forget how absolutely, blinking, freaking lucky and rich I am to be where I am right now. It's easy to get caught up in how unaffordable housing is, etc, and it's not like those things shouldn't change, but holy shit most people in the world would still kill to be here in our places. We never, ever genuinely have to worry about starving... What a blessing.

And Peeler, you yourself have such a generous, creative, loving personality that is its own richness regardless of material wealth ☺️ the minis are blessed to have you as their mum indeed!

[–] melbaboutown@aussie.zone 3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Never Let Me Go is a gut punch. I think I’ve read a few of his that really hurt

[–] just_kitten@aussie.zone 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I watched the movie of Remains of the Day and it squeezed my heart in quite a unique way

[–] melbaboutown@aussie.zone 2 points 7 months ago

Yeah that was the other book I read… the way he just kept on going when (spoiler)

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