Worlds apart

"Can you get S ready for school today?" my wife asked sleepily. The alarm had woken me up as well. Normally I just turn around and go back to another round of sleep, while she gets up to get S ready for kindergarten.

"OK" I replied while getting out of bed. I got myself ready first, and then went to wake up our daughter.

"One more minute, please" came her sleepy reply as she slid under the blanket to hide her eyes from the light that I had turned on in her room. After a couple more of these "one more minute" pleas, she finally got up. Thankfully she had slept well, and was well rested and in a good mood.

After getting her ready and some light breakfast, I went out with her to the corner of our street. It was a nice cool morning. Our neighbour was dropping his son as well, and we exchanged the customary pleasantries.

The school bus came right on time. S gave me a quick hug and climbed onto the bus and waved bye. It was a beautiful start to my day!

I was smiling while driving in to work. I usually have the radio tuned to the news channel. There was a report on the Blackwater security firm in Iraq and the killings of innocent civilians.

My mind began to reflect on the people who live in a war zone. Do they get a peaceful night's sleep ? Do they wake up in the morning and call the day beautiful? Are they ever able to send their kids to school without worrying about seeing them again? How do they cope with the pain at the loss of loved ones?

One world .. and yet worlds apart.