Today is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a day that aims to promote understanding and dialogue between people living in poverty and the wider society. We are living in unprecedented times in that our place on this planet is fraught with turmoil and unease. We are battling climate emergencies more frequently, we are at the peril of war and we are barely scraping by to make end’s meet. Notice I’m using the word “we”. One might say there are folks on this planet who are not impacted by any of these calamities, but here’s the thing, WE are all impacted! If our fellow human being is suffering, we all feel pain. When an individual lacks peace and stability in their life, it disrupts the flow of positive energy they can radiate to others.

What does climate change or war have to do with poverty? Well, everything since it’s those who are impoverished who suffer the most from these cataclysms. Want to solve the world’s biggest problems…solve poverty! How can we expect people to try to provoke change to turn around the climate crisis if they’re barely scraping by to put food on the table or keep a roof over their heads? How can we expect people of one ethnicity or religion to be tolerant and compassionate with another when their desperate state makes them potentially vulnerable to radical indoctrination?

So on this day I’m thinking about the word “eradicate”. With a will and way, we have the ability to ensure that every person on this planet has access to the basic necessities of life: clean air, shelter, water, food, love and purpose. It is so doable…I know it is! We just need to come together and create a plan to make it happen. Not from a mindset of scarcity and fear, but instead with a vision grounded in love and compassion.