Lockdown 86

Lockdown Day 86 - 20 June 2020

Today I heard a story of someone who took the time to speak to a car guard. Ignored by most, hated by some (the result of a bad car guard incident) and tolerated by us all for various reasons. 

Anyway, this person was in the 'tolerated' category, whipping out a R5 when the guard appears. 

She is in the journo business and decided to ask him about the job. It took about 5 minutes of her time, asking if this is his only job, who he provides for and from where he travels and the cost to get there and back. In those 5 minutes she was also harassed by another motorist wanting to park and telling them the time of day for having a quick exchange of words. 

This journo decided to air a question on her slot at a local radio station based on her experience, and asked the listeners to let her know how much they think a motorist should pay a car guard.  In the light of what she experienced, she also told of the obnoxious motorist (someone with a brain, I gathered, as they actually had a driver's license) who couldn't remember their manners. 

The outcome was interesting and a few extra categories of people emerged concerning both good and bad experiences with car guards. Ultimately, most people thought R5-R10 was good.

The journo and her co-presenter spoke to a number of guards and found most of them traveled far to work, paying between R40 and R60 for one round trip. Also they had to pay the center or shop owners a fee for being allowed to work there which amounted to R40 a day (shop owners only pay a daily allowance if they are enlisted in a car guarding company). 

What really got me was one of the guards said to the co-presentor, its okay if you don't have money to give him, just please say hello, and then added "I don't want you as a friend but I want to feel acknowledged." Yes, I know, this is SA and you can't trust anyone. Be vigilant but have a heart. Keep your eyes open and use your brain! And at the very least spare a thought for a job few of us stop to think about.

Tonight, while standing outside, watching the Spacex Shuttle pass briefly through our atmosphere, knowing it has a crew of two, I wondered about the difference in our views. They are looking down on earth from a dizzy height and I am looking up at a little bright light moving across the sky. 

What I know for sure is when we shift the paradigm and try to see another's view from their shoes we are sure to find something that makes our view more complete. So it is for anything in life. 

So tonight I leave you with a video of the view of earth from space to remind us all of the God who made it all and who would like nothing better than for us to have a complete view of his world. The world He's got firmly in His hands. (remember to tap and hold the link below untill you are asked to choose youtube) 

https://youtu.be/xg9R4yykvqU