Mudgeeraba State Special School students participated in our school based ANZAC Day Ceremony on Friday 22nd April.  We were honoured with special guests from the Mudgeeraba/Robina Returned Services League Branch.  We welcomed Colonel Guy Bagot and Reg & Angela Taylor.  Colonel Guy Bagot participated in our ceremony reading a wonderful Poem about a young boy who marched wearing his Grandfathers medals, he also informed our students about the meaning of the Last Post and the Revielle.  Our school captains assisted the proceedings by performing important tasks such as laying the first wreaths and reading the welcome to country, members from each class laid a handmade wreath in remembrance.  

First World Problems

On the weekend, I had to go to Brisbane for a course, and on the way, I stopped for fuel. While I stood at the bowser, I looked at my watch and realised I was running late. 

“Oh brother. First world problem!” I chuckled to myself. 

As I did, it occurred to me that the station operator had not yet switched on my bowser. I usually click the nozzle a few times to raise an alert at the front desk, roughly translated as, “There’s someone at the bowser, and it’s me!”. 

Moments later, nothing: no pump, no fuel. Before long, there were 3 of us clicking our nozzles standing impatiently by our cars. I was running later and later by the second, and as a result, wasn’t going to make it for the pre-course, coffee and cake. 

Super first world problem! 

I wonder how many people, just like me, in less fortunate countries around the world, deal with such devastating disasters? How do they deal with life without coffee? Why on earth should anyone have to wait for more than 2 minutes to get their cars filled with fuel? 

I found out later that the station was temporarily short staffed, leaving the lone operator, juggling the hot food servery, the supermarket, the ice supply, and the bowser service, all by themselves. The poor person was being run off of their feet, and here I was moaning about coffee and cake. 

That morning, I was egg-faced with a first world problem. Where had my empathy gone to? Was it running late too? How much better off would we be, if eggheads like me took a little more time being appreciative of life, rather than spending time furiously clicking nozzles? I mean: I have a car, it’s air conditioned, I can afford to put petrol in it, I can get to Brisbane in comfort without walking; not too much different from anyone else living on the beautiful Gold Coast. 

These facts by themselves, make me a pretty wealthy customer when compared to some third world nations. In some places, people can’t even afford bicycles let alone a motor vehicle. That morning, I began my journey by choosing to see my first world problem, over the well-being of someone who was just doing their best to do their job. 

Eventually, after filling my tank, I went and paid, smiled, and thanked the attendant for their service, and left (being careful not to let them see the thought bubbles over my head, that were exposing my real thoughts).

 So, from the lack of coffee and cake, and a silent petrol bowser, let me end this fortnight’s Chappy Chatbox, with being reminded of this brilliant quote, from Atticus Finch, from To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. 

He said, 

“If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”