Water

I've been thinking today about what I've been discussing on recent blips, this notion of tapping into the ordinary magic to be seen all around us. The reality, of course, is that this presupposes that we have a healthy body to get us out into the world in the first place, and a healthy mind to enable us to see the world through eyes unclouded by our own worries and prejudices. When we have that kind of healthy wholeness of being it is very easy to take it for granted and forget that not everyone is so lucky. I know I am guilty of that.

I'm reminded of Abraham Maslow's Hierachy of Needs. It's usually represented as a pyramid, suggesting that each need is built upon the layer beneath, starting with our basic physiological needs, then our need for safety and security, followed by our need to love and be loved and feel a sense of belonging. Once they are satisfied then we move on to esteem, the need for recognition and respect from others. Finally, at the top of the pyramid we have self-actualisation, which is the realm of creativity and, I would say, the perception of ordinary magic.

There are millions of people in the world too busy just trying to survive, struggling to meet their most basic needs, to be able to enjoy the privileges that I've been talking about. I came across a blip the other day from IMPACT. Please take a moment to look at this journal. They are working with people who are being poisoned by their own drinking water. A crowdfunding scheme has been set up to raise money to buy filters for a number of communities at risk. There is such a clear correlation between donating money and the physical equipment that needs to be purchased that you feel like you can really help make a difference. The problem has a solution. It just needs backing. Perhaps you'd care to promote their work and their fundraising through your own blips and other social networks. It would great if this community here could marshal its tremendous energy and get behind this.

Let's see what we can do.

PS Just realised that it was a year ago today that I had a ride out with Tour de France winner Stephen Roche. Little did we suspect then that Le Tour would be soon using those very same roads. Extraordinary.