New Glasses

Yesterday was glasses buying day in the Harrison household, 3 pairs in all. Poor Matt’s been suffering headaches for the last few weeks and eventually got his eyes checked. Yep, he needs a new prescription for his glasses AND has reached that dreaded middle age marker of needing reading glasses (he’s been doing the “stretched-arm” reading pose for a while now). So off we tootled to check out the heart-stopping costs of German opticians, 2 hours later, a large gulp when signing the credit card payment and Matt gets his new glasses in 24 hours.

I also ordered my new glasses yesterday. I chose an online company in the States – Warby Parker. Now, in many ways I’m very particular about my eyecare. Unfortunately I have a bad genetic heritage where eyes are concerned, glaucoma, macular degeneration and early onset cataracts in my immediate family but my contact lens specialist and ophthalmologist look after me really well in that department and I only want glasses for the early morning/late night anyhow so decided to try a little online bargain hunting to balance out the costs.

That’s rather a long winded way of telling you about the company Warby Parker and a part of their business philosophy that I like. Not only do they want to be able to supply glasses at a reasonable cost, they also promise to donate a pair of glasses to a person in need through their Buy a Pair Give a Pair program.

Over 2 billion people in the world don’t have access to glasses, that’s 15% of the world’s population who are unable to effectively learn or work because they can’t see clearly! A simple pair of glasses can increase their earning potential by 20% so it a very effective tool in helping lift people out of poverty. I think all of us would like a 20% increase in our income but can you imagine what a difference that would make to the 3 billion + people who live on less than US $2 per day?

I can’t imagine how I would manage without contacts or glasses, can you? I certainly couldn’t do the work I do, could not drive, even cooking would be a problem, quite a scary thought! However, just by changing where you shop you can make a significant difference to another person’s life. So if you live in the States (or like me can get a friend to bring them over), next time you need new specs check out Warby Parker : http://www.warbyparker.com/Buy-A-Pair-Give-A-Pair

How do you measure significant?

N° 7 on my goal list: Make a significant (positive) difference in 40 people’s lives.

This sounds great and a very noble goal but I’m struggling with a unit of measurement. I mean how DO you measure significance? Centimetres and metres? Pounds and ounces? Speed or strength? None fit the bill, and then you add culture in to the mix, it plays huge part, something I would never have thought. For example, I just recently did “meals on wheels” and stocked up the freezers for 2 different friends with home cooked meals, one who’s poorly and the other who was having a tough old time of it. That makes a difference, but it hardly seems significant (a couple of hours and a few Euros) however 3 people have told me that it is a big thing here!

My direct neighbour, Kathrin, and I have a great relationship, she borrows my baking equipment or comes round to watch football occasionally with Matt, pizza and movies with me, we do the “post/plants/pets” thing for each other when we’re on holiday, I took ice-cream to the hospital when the doctors stole her tonsils and am currently helping her write her CV in English. Coming from NW England/SW Scotland this is so normal it’s not even noteworthy, but here it’s so exceptional her parents even sent me a small present for being so neighbourly.

A couple of months ago I came home Saturday afternoon and whilst parking the car noticed and heard an older man (German) talking loudly to an elderly Turkish lady. After turning the engine off it became apparent that he was actually mocking her for being poor and using a rollator!!!! I got out of the car and (with a friends’ warning ringing in my ears) chickened out of shouting him down so just gave him The Stare. As he walked away I turned to the lady and apologized that she had to experience that, asked if she was ok and wished her a nice day as she shuffled away. Since then, whenever I see her pass by I greet her and now she smiles back, I hope over time she will eventually talk to me, which I would consider significant even if she doesn’t. Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident, many of my female African and Asian language school colleagues experienced verbal abuse when out alone :(

I recently watched the film Pay it Forward (thanks for the tip Kathrin). Basic synopsis; a class of 12 year olds are given the assignment “Think of something to change the world and put it into action” and Trevor comes up with the idea of paying it forward. Do 3 good deeds to 3 different people, it doesn't have to be a big thing. It can just seem that way, depending who you do it for. Then, instead of paying it back they are then to pay it forward to 3 other people. The film is based on a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde and along with a few others, she started the Pay it Forward Foundation which has spread across the US and into other countries as well. http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/

So, I’m back to the question, how do you measure significant? To some people, hours of hard work giving your best hardly makes an impression, yet for others a couple of minutes of your time and a friendly smile can make a huge impact. I would love to hear your comments and experiences. AND if I do you a good turn, don’t pay me back, please pay it forward.

Last but not least, think you’re too old or too young to make a difference? Have a look at these 2 links:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/20/huffpost-greatest-person-kristal-burns-superheroes_n_864784.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmZtoEMiMpk&feature=player_embedded

Still proud to be British!

This last week of riots, triggered by the police shooting of an innocent man (wrong place, wrong time) has created lots of media outrage, condemnation from politicians and celebs and many a dramatic photo opportunity. However there is one aspect that isn’t reaching the front pages and relegated to the “Magazine” page of bbc.co.uk etc etc. The Broom Army!

The morning after the riots, crowds gather wearing washing-up gloves and carrying brooms. Once the crime-scene investigators have finished they wade in to clean up the mess. All volunteers, mostly locals, all ages including children and when the Mayor of London turned up they started chanting “Where’s your broom”

This is British tenacity and community spirit that always rises up in the face of adversity  and makes me proud to be able to say I am British J

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14475741