World Toilet Day

 

 

World Toilet Day
30 September 2014

You well and truly learn something new every single day.  As in really.  Every single day.

Cause the key word here, is “day”. 

Now we all know the old faithful’s – Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.

You know.  Standard, garden variety, ordinary days, dedicated to special people or special occasions.

These are things we’ve grown up with.  April Fool’s Day on the 1^st of April, Boxing Day on the day after Christmas. 

Though these holidays are honoured, they are not public holidays, i.e. you still have to go to work and to school.

It is but merely a way of bringing attention to something of significance.  In order to commemorate something or someone we hold dear.

I remember a few years back hearing about Grandparent’s Day, and thinking, “This is really pushing it now”.

Not that I don’t think grandparents deserve recognition for all that they do.  But most likely Father’s Day and Mother’s Day covers them too.  Also, this would be a new world holiday.  Not something old and recognised like the others.  It most likely wouldn’t stick.  And though I know that technically Mother’s Day and Father’s Day hasn’t been around forever, it has certainly been around for a lot longer than I’ve lived.  And garnering accolades and recognition for parents, was always going to be an easy sell.

Yet, every single day, I happen to come across a new “Day”, of some or other kind.  Special “Days” are promoted on TV, in print media and social media too.

Many of these are for awesome causes.  World Disability Day, World Anti Animal Cruelty Day, World Deaf Day, World Arbour Day, and so on and so forth.

But sometimes I hear about “Days” and I think to myself.  They’re just making this crap up.

Literally.  Don’t believe me?  Now just take World Toilet Day, to mark my point. 

It gave me a bit of a laugh when I first heard about it.  World Toilet Day – seriously???  Bummer!  It is a bit like scraping the "bottom" of the barrel.

Until, I gave it a bit more thought.  This really is no laughing matter. 

I take running sanitation for granted.  I have grown up with it.  And see it as my due.

But I live in a third world country.  Where many of my fellow citizens aren’t afforded the same luxury.

The simple luxury of flushing.  So automatic, I don’t even think about it.

Yet all over the world, but a small percentage of people are actually fortunate enough to have this basic human right.  Which for me, is largely linked to dignity.  Never mind sanitation and hygiene.

And thus, this year, on the 19^th of November, on World Toilet Day, I shall have a special thought for those less fortunate.  And make my kids aware of this too.

I would imagine that World Days such as these, create awareness.  And hopefully force the issue with governments.  Making them realise that they have a responsibility to their people.  And that they are accountable. 

Cause whether you’re a have.  Or a have not.

You should have a loo.

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