If you were stranded on a deserted island…?
Posted by: SanityFound on: August 19, 2008
A little while ago I read Hayden’s Women Need Protecting (incredible) and then today it cropped up again in Joy’s post Safety tips for children (equally incredible) and it all got me to thinking. Sometimes we take our personal safety for granted, we take the safety of our kids for granted. Perhaps we take our lives for granted.
They say that living in Africa you become an Accidental Buddhist for the fact that we value our lives more than our cars, our TV or our homes. I read the other day in the news that a guy died trying to pull his car out of a river. All he wanted to do was pull it out of the river, save the car, save the stuff inside the car. Material things have no value compared to our lives and yet we forget this integral part of life… life itself.
Have you ever been asked the question “If you were stranded on an Island what is the one thing that you would take with you and why?”
How many of you said that you’ll take your photo album?
How many of you said that you’d take water or chocolate?
How many of you said that you would take matches or a lighter?
How many of you said that you’d take your toothbrush, your hairbrush, CD player (how you’d player it I don’t know), your sunglasses?
Now for the cruncher…
How many of you said that you will take your best friend, partner, child?
A “Thing” will only last so long, it will only serve its purpose for so long, if it gets stolen it is replaceable and generally insured. You can’t insure a friend, partner, child. You can’t replace them either, you only get to keep the memories of the moments you shared.
How many of you hold those memories close?
How many of you cherish each moment you share with another person?
The worst for me is the fact that people sometimes only realise the value they had in a person once they are dead and dusted. Some don’t cherish a person or the moments they share with the person until it’s too late, till they are gone.
Why?
Personal safety and basic precautions never hurt anyone neither did cherishing someone you love or valuing the import things in life.
Humans, living, breathing, smiling, laughing, playing, loving… humans.
A simple smile in the street to a stranger
A simple gesture of giving, of sharing
A simple thank you
A simple word of praise
Is known to save lives
You know how to love, you know how to cherish
If asked the question “If you were stranded on an Island what is the one thing that you would take with you and why?”, how will you answer?
17 Responses to "If you were stranded on a deserted island…?"
August 19, 2008 at 12:01 pm
my enemy’s picture! that way, i’ll always be angered to be motivated to have the will to live… that doesn’t make sense but do i always make sense?
August 19, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I would have to take two treasured items; my partner and my daughter. No matter what our fate, I know that we would be alright……. as complex as life is, sometimes the answers are really that simple….
August 19, 2008 at 3:39 pm
“They say that living in Africa you become an Accidental Buddhist for the fact that we value our lives more than our cars, our TV or our homes.”
WOW.
As for the thing I’d take, my husband, no question.
August 19, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I love what ifoundme said. It makes sense to me. I would want my 3 grandchildren. It would make me be stronger and stay stronger. I just loved that movie. I loved Wilson!!
August 19, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I can’t choose just one!! I have a dear hubs, and kids, and dog….
August 19, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I have been thinking about that numerous times and I can’t decide. Maybe IF I had to make a choice I’d take a book that will connect me to memories, even imaginary ones, and to dreams. Once I have finished reading it, I’d leave it aside for a while, then would open it again later on, trying to find new meanings hidden behind words and sentences…
August 19, 2008 at 10:57 pm
@mmo you are such a boy!
ifoundme it makes perfect sense to me, we are all inspired by different things. Anger is indeed a strong motivator for a lot of people. Perfectly sane lol
Vanessa yes sometimes it all comes down to having faith. Life is only complex if we allow it to be
Hayden I just smile for by the sounds of things he knows how lucky he is yes?
Joy we LUFF Wilson, I cried – I do not admit this easily, actually never, but yes I cried!
Kwonshe2 some people have responded “Playstation” before and they were dead serious… and they say I am blonde?
FroggyWoogie I actch like the idea of a book of memories, interesting concept!
August 20, 2008 at 2:40 am
I’d take a photo of Caine. His name does magical things to me. Even without being at my side at the exact moment, I am astounded by the things I CAN do by just thinking of him. Power of love? Or simply a decision to survive and prove to the world that, yes, I can be in love, sane and live too?
August 20, 2008 at 7:55 am
I would definitely choose my husband, but I would sure be tempted to bring my sunglasses and 52 cartons of cigarettes.
August 20, 2008 at 10:22 am
Glaize enjoy that power of love it can do many many things but as long as it is making you smile. Smile girlfriend!
Ilegirl you can smoke coconut and banana leaves (more potent than cigarettes) 52 cartons!!!! *bows* you know, just between you and me, I would probably opt for that as well!
[...] talked about her less-than-safe existence in South Africa and how it affected her perception of what is really important. She then posted a pretty comprehensive article on self-defense and also referred to an [...]
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August 19, 2008 at 11:52 am
My Leatherman multi-tool, for obvious practical reasons.