Marie Skripec, Member of Committee and Volunteer of the YWCA Germany

A Thanksgiving Message

My name is Marie Skripec and I come from Germany. I would like to share some thoughts with you that I wrote down on Monday of the World YWCA conference in Bangkok 2015.

Amongst others I was inspired by Bonnie Fatio and the exercise she did with us where people stood up and said what they were imagining, what they were dreaming of.

So this is what I imagine:

 I Imagine

I imagine a world

where there are no more armed conflicts,

no more wars

no more people that have to flee from their countries,

that have to leave their homes and their beloved behind

I imagine people,

 women and men

to stand up

and say that we don’t want people to be killed,

we don’t want to support governments and people

that develop cruel strategies

and initiate conflicts and wars

in beautiful countries.

We don’t want any more people and governments

that are responsible for the death of so many people

only

because they seek for more resources, influence and power

claiming to operate in the name of democracy.

I imagine a near future

where we don’t spend our money on weapons, soldiers and armies

but on the protection of our environment, our nature and the people around us,

on education and the future of our present and following generations,

on mutual exchange and learning from each other

all around the globe.

I imagine my country

to take more responsibility,

a sustainable Germany

ecologically, economically, socially and culturally.

 I imagine people

that consume less

and instead open their eyes

to see all the beautiful things around them

and conserve them:

trees, flowers, birds, butterflies

women, men, girls and boys

neighbours, friends, sisters and brothers.

We often say

that we should see the world

through the eyes of a child

 Well, I imagine

that we seriously ask children for their opinions

and consider it in our decisions we make

locally, regionally, nationally and globally.

I imagine

children in our governments.

Parliaments consisting of

male and female leaders of all ages.

Deciding on our present and future,

learning from and relating to good and bad

practices and experiences in the past.

A flexible parliament

ready to learn permanently,

listening to its people and all its variety.

I imagine

many raindrops

changing the direction of many rivers

heading towards a just and fair world

I imagine

 a world in peace

where we all live as one.

Thank you Marie Skripec for these meaningful words. May we share these thoughts with you as we recognize our blessings on this Thanksgiving 2015.

Happy Thanksgiving from AgeEsteem,

Bonnie Fatio