While most of us are taking Christmas day off, police, firefighters, paramedics, nurses and doctors are doing what they always do and prioritising our safety.
If you need them, they’ll be there for you. In recent times though, not all the problems that prompted local people to dial 999 have qualified as emergencies.
Welsh ambulance services have reported that they received a 999 call from a woman whose bikini line was itching.
One man called the police to tell them he’d lost his bus pass.
Another requested emergency medical help with an attack of hiccups.
And in the run up to Christmas, a confused shopper called 999 when they couldn’t find anywhere that sold brussel sprouts.
Apart from suggesting that some of us are a little trigger-happy when it comes to dialling 999, it also makes us ask if people can be too quick to see the negatives in a situation, too quick to pass responsibility on to someone else and too slow to believe in their own ability to solve a problem.
How many times have you heard people air their grievances about something they’re unhappy with and wondered what they might accomplish if they took responsibility for finding a solution?
The People’s Library exists to help nurture talent and convert it into accomplishment. In 2023 it’s been our privilege to work with people of all ages, and from all backgrounds, and see their talent for creative writing, music, visual arts, project management, humanitarian causes and academic study flourish. We’ve seen people thrive in the most challenging circumstances and put themselves forward as leaders.
If there’s one message we’d like to share as we say goodbye to the old year, it’s this;
This is your country as much as anyone’s. You can help make it what you want it to be. We’re not saying that’s easy, but all around you people are proving it’s possible. If you want to join with like-minded influencers who are making their presence felt, you’ll find them at the People’s Library.
Calling for an ambulance when we’re ill and incapacitated is common sense, but should we do it when we have an entirely explainable itch? And calling the police when we’re victims of a crime is exactly the right thing to do, but should we do it when we can’t find a vegetable counter?
Be the change you want to see in 2024. Take responsibility. You’ve got this.
Merry Christmas from the People’s Library.
