I’ve just finished watching a program called “The Secret Millionaire“.
This episode was based in Dundee. I recognised all the places that were in the footage. I have walked past or through most of the city at some point in the almost seven years I’ve been here, but the groups that were mentioned I knew nothing about, I didn’t even know they existed. I live directly behind the place in today’s episode – the Hilltown.
We’ve been through some tough times over the past year. Most of you know that by now. It’s not been the easiest for us, and with J being away now it’s even harder in some ways. Still, sometimes I forget how priveleged we are. Even when neither of us had a job we had hot water, electricity and gas central heating, a home big enough for us to live in, and enough money for food.
The family that was showcased tonight didn’t have enough money for bills AND food. A young couple around ages with J and I, with three children living in a 1 bedroom apartment. He was working all hours of the day. They were relying on food packages from the church to feed their children.I feel so sad knowing that these are people living in my city. I know Dundee is one of the worst cities in Scotland for poverty, I just didn’t really take in what that meant.
Here I am, sitting in my warm house, with my kids cosy in their beds in their own room. I’m sitting in front of my shiny iMac connected up to the net, writing this while wondering how many loads of laundry I can get done. I don’t need to think about ‘what if we’ve not enough to pay the lecky*?’.
I am so lucky. I’m going to try not to forget that in a hurry.
What have you got that reminds you you’re lucky?
*’lecky’ = electricity