Editor: I was on my way to work when I saw a neighbour out walking his mid-sized white dog. I鈥檝e seen him many times and each time you can see that the dog is ecstatic to be outside. He doesn鈥檛 just walk, he jumps and skips as they go along and I鈥檓 sure there are times the owner feels like he has a large salmon on the end of his leash.

The little dog forges ahead and is so excited, he鈥檚 almost like an adventurer wanting to make that one big discovery. To me, that dog is the epitome of joy. He doesn鈥檛 have a care in the world at that moment, except to be out with his best friend.

Coming home at the end of the day, I鈥檓 met at the door by my two cats who are forever looking for food. The first order of business is to take care of them, and once that鈥檚 done, I can take my jacket off, put on the coffee and change into my relaxing clothes.

A while later, there they are, grooming themselves in front of the fireplace, settling in for a snooze. One stretches out full length, while the other gets into her sleep mode, flipping over onto her back with her paws in the air. They are happy and don鈥檛 have a thing to care about, except for having that niche in front of the fireplace to sleep off their dinner.

None of these three animals have to care about anything because they have people who love them and are willing to look out for their best interests.

As for me, I鈥檓 getting into the 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care syndrome鈥� now. I don鈥檛 have anyone to take care of me. I believe the 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care鈥� feeling started when I hit my mid to late 50s. Up until that time, I cared about everything 鈥� the environment, how the government was run, what was happening in the world and on and on.

I was willing to sign petitions for what I believed in; I was willing to write an MP or go to an MP鈥檚 office. I was willing to attend rallies, meetings, open forums and get involved in everything, as long as I believed it to be right. I have had my single voice ignored and I have seen the masses鈥� voices ignored.

Then one day I realized something. I rallied, I wrote, I talked, I attended and nothing changed.

What has changed is that greed has become so common, it鈥檚 scary. The government goes after everyone, especially Baby Boomers and seniors, cutting money here, there and everywhere, but politicians don鈥檛 look at their own ridiculous pensions, salaries and perks. After all, it is our money paying for all that, so shouldn鈥檛 we have a say?

If we have so much oil in Canada, why are we exporting it when it could help reduce costs to Canadians?

Why are countries allowing immigrants to come in and demand that country change to the immigrant鈥檚 way of life?

All these things I cared about and now I don鈥檛. I have no family so I鈥檓 keeping my caring reserved for my animals, my friends and all others close to me.

Don鈥檛 get me wrong. I care about those children they show on TV who don鈥檛 have enough food and no clean water, but where did the money go that I sent? Why are the conditions worse today than I remember them to be 30 years ago? Did enough money not go to them to help them change?

Children around the world are starving, but people will build up a teen singer so that he can buy a $10 million mansion and say 鈥渋t鈥檚 dope.鈥� I鈥檓 assuming in his language that means great. All these mixed-up things of the world make me say 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care anymore.鈥� People around the world are starving to death, and a Hollywood persona buys a $4,000 pair of shoes 鈥� and it makes the news.

I care for what is involved in my personal space, you might say. I care about what I can control and how I live and act. I take responsibility for myself. I don鈥檛 read newspapers anymore. If I want a quick peek at world news, I go on the web.

I have a loving and caring heart but when you realize that over time, your efforts in trying to be heard are being ignored, you have to put the caring aside or you鈥檒l end up with ulcers.

The 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care syndrome鈥� is a by-product of seeing my country run by greedy, arrogant people (regardless of government party), who believe as long as they themselves have no money problems, why worry about their fellow countrymen. It鈥檚 all very sad.

We pay MPs salaries and pensions but we, the people of Canada, have no say in anything. If they want a raise, they give it to themselves. They give more money to 鈥渞efugees鈥� than to seniors.

A friend sent me an interesting email a short while ago. It was taken from the back of the room in Ottawa during a 鈥渟ession.鈥� Someone was standing speaking and you could see the laptop screens of quite a few MPs. Many were surfing, watching videos or playing solitaire. This is how they earn their thousands of dollars a year in salary. I figure, if they don鈥檛 care, then why should I care? See, I鈥檓 a by-product.

Ah, such is life. My father used to say that the older he got, the more he liked his animals. I have to agree. The more I see and hear what is happening in my country and around the world, the more I enjoy watching that little dog pulling on his leash and my cats relaxing in front of the fire.

Beverly Hall,

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