I Don,t know how to respond to you Joe.Suffice to say that you left another person the better for having met you .I did much the same recently whilst in Melbourne on a visit.I went home and said to my wife that I almost felt selfish insofar as I really felt good about me because I had done a good deed to another person .I often wonder how the Salvos etc can do it every day because I often feel guilty passing someone in the street that is sitting on a corner looking the worse for wear .Anyhow well done to you Joe .Cheers john.

moamajohn and brickies, Thank you very much for your comments .  

I would like to state that in no way was my post meant to put me in good stead, but to highlight some thoughts I had on this 'lucky country.'

To some on here and elsewhere, their lives seems to exist on their being right, more than the next bloke, or on how much their house is worth.............      You get my gist.

"There but for the grace of God go I".

Joe

-- Edited by Farmhat on Wednesday 25th of July 2018 10:35:19 PM

 Maybe everyone on this forum could donate $500 each & give it to him? That should buy him a decent rig. 

Mike Harding wrote:

---

Desert Dweller wrote:

---

 Maybe everyone on this forum could donate $500 each & give it to him? That should buy him a decent rig. 

---

A number of times you have made posts of this ilk and it makes me wonder why you harbour such bitterness in your soul.

A couple of days ago you had the temerity to lecture me upon religion which makes this a good time to remind you of one of your god's teachings:

Luke 10:25-37

---

 Yes Mike, I am still shaking my head over those comments, hard to fathom really, but it takes all types to make up this world!

 

A great deed Joe, and yes, there are many people not just country folks that are doing it very tough at the moment...if only our leaders showed the same care and compassion for the less fortunate Or those down on their luck.

-- Edited by Wizardofoz on Thursday 26th of July 2018 07:42:03 AM

Gday...

Laudable Farmhat (Joe) - we all tend to just 'get on with life' and not see the plight of others.

Often when I see folk like the bloke in this tale, I wonder how come they don't qualify for some sort of welfare through Centrelink.

But I guess their life's journey has left them with some sort of burden that doesn't allow welfare payments to last sufficiently to give them a basic life.

Cheers - John

I'm going to take a different track here, hopefully without detracting from your kindness and good deed which does indeed deserve recognition and go back to your opening question. "Is this the lucky country?"
Yes, it is. Maybe not "Lucky" per se except that we are lucky to live here because luck has nothing to do with how Australia became the country it is.

You found a man down on his luck and gave him a helping hand and it was so unusual you felt the need to share it here.
That should tell us all that we are indeed lucky to live here.

On a recent trip to LA in the grand old country of the USA (the home of the brave and the free yadada yadada) this spectacle was everywhere. And the homeless weren't well dressed. All along every freeway. Outside every large family restaurant. On almost every footpath in the CBD.
The American people almost without fail did as you did. They are more than willing to help out.

It's the comparison of how often you see this that tells me I am so glad I live here.

There are always going to be people who need a hand up from time to time.
What makes us lucky is that not only are the people willing to help, even if the type of help is misguided at times, but that we have safety nets in place that will also help the majority of the time.

Do we as a country miss some or can we as a country do more? Hell yes. But we are so much better off than so many other countries that we have indeed earned the title "The Lucky Country"

Deary me DD, you've done it again!

I have enjoyed reading your thoughts and replies, thank you.

I am more than certain that the gratitude I felt from the hungry guy was not so much that he got a feed, but that someone cared enough.

It may not be near as bad here as in the USA but it nevertheless is here. It really is not so uncommon. One day a job and house, next day, nothing. I know folks who on the outside seemed to be doing ok, and overnight they were on the street. There would be many reasons, one is that credit has been too easy and if not managed carefully, can spell disaster. I predict many to fall over when interest rates start rising.

Lucky country if the cards fall your way.

Joe

vince56 wrote:

---

Deary me DD, you've done it again!

---

 Don't know what they're upset about, we're willing to donate five hundred bucks. 

Desert Dweller wrote:

---

vince56 wrote:

---

Deary me DD, you've done it again!

---

 Don't know what they're upset about, we're willing to donate five hundred bucks. 

---

next time you walk past the salvos with a bucket drop $500 in the bucket might not get them a rig but it will provide a few hot meals and i'm sure you will feel good

Farmhat wrote:

---

I am more than certain that the gratitude I felt from the hungry guy was not so much that he got a feed, but that someone cared enough.

It may not be near as bad here as in the USA but it nevertheless is here. It really is not so uncommon. One day a job and house, next day, nothing. I know folks who on the outside seemed to be doing ok, and overnight they were on the street. There would be many reasons, one is that credit has been too easy and if not managed carefully, can spell disaster. I predict many to fall over when interest rates start rising.

Lucky country if the cards fall your way.

---

As the person who's post you are referring to, I totally agree with every word you've just written.

I'm sure that man was indeed grateful that someone cared. And hopefully gave him a boost that somehow he may survive the situation he found himself in.

We're NOT doing enough!
And, the (too) easily available credit has been the undoing of way too many including 4 out of 5 of my own kids.
But our social services which are too often abused also provide some help to many others.

I guess, at the end of the day my view is that we are indeed lucky to live in Australia but we should never be complacent about the good things here and always strive to do better.

If this thread does nothing else, I think it may point out that some people, (not necessarily any one person posting here) may have a view that if someone is down and out, that somehow that is their fault. 
Although I don't have any belief in a higher mystical power the expression "There but for the grace of God" is 100% spot on. 

Hearing things like your opening post goes a long way to restoring my faith in people in general.
For that I thank you

Jim

Gday...

I agree Brickies. However, too proud for Centrelink but not too proud to be seen fossicking in rubbish bins for tucker and sleeping in the gutter.

I guess 'ordinary folk' like us will never know the real answers. 

Cheers - John

Wizardofoz wrote:

---

Desert Dweller wrote:

---

vince56 wrote:

---

Deary me DD, you've done it again!

---

 Don't know what they're upset about, we're willing to donate five hundred bucks. 

---

 Willing in words only...actions are all that mean anything, send the $500 to Cindy to hold in trust in case the bloke is found, until then you have wasted another post!

---

 Where's your five hundred bucks? We sponsor a child overseas, buy extra groceries most times that we shop at the supermarket & place them in the two charity food bins.

We also donate goods to many Op Shops including the Salvos & our daughter is on the committee of the Lighthouse Foundation which looks after & feeds homeless people in Melbourne.

The list of our regular donations goes on, Country Fire Authority, Surf Life Saving Clubs etc. etc.

What do YOU DO, if anything?

All things being equal, I think that we are in a lucky country

I also believe the wise words of "But for the grace of God, there go I"

I say credit where credit is due, and good on you Farmhat, and others who have helped out, when and where they could