Man who taught us to cherish life
READING about Eddie Jaku, the Holocaust survivor who became famous for his focus on peace, tolerance and hope, who died last week aged 101 (Mail), I couldn’t help but compare his wonderful outlook on life with today’s society. Though he had been sent to Auschwitz and his parents were killed, he was determined not to let bitterness overshadow his life and described himself as the happiest man on Earth. Some people seem to be looking to blame and find fault with everything about this country, past and present. If you look for fault, you’ll always find it. But if you look for the good, you’ll discover it, too. This is the best country in the world. I didn’t say perfect, but it’s seen as heaven on earth by people who are willing to risk their lives to get here. Instead of tearing each other apart, raising past faults and moaning about what we haven’t got, we must try, like Eddie Jaku, to appreciate what we’ve got. If you can find anywhere else in the world to compare with Britain’s compassion, tolerance and understanding, good luck. Why not try to appreciate this United Kingdom we have created together? It takes a lot for a tolerant Briton to get their dander up, but when they do it is usually over a righteous cause. I am proud and grateful to have been born here and celebrate the fact we are a nation that has contributed a lot of good to the world. We should concentrate on that and not
on the mistakes we have made along the way. This is a nation of mongrels, which are the toughest dogs because they have to be. We are not pedigrees, but we always stand up for the underdog. It’s our nature.