Tuesday Photo Challenge – Decay
Frank at Dutch Goes the Photo: Tuesday Photo Challenge – Decay
My husband and I joined my sister Yolanda and her husband Patrick to go to China several years ago. Patrick’s dad had Alzheimer’s disease. Patrick wanted his dad and his uncle got together before his dad’s memory faded any further.
His uncle and the family were relocated by the government to a nearby village. The former village was demolished and transformed into a giant cement factory. His uncle was assigned a two-story small house that included a courtyard with a well and a patch of vegetable garden. They raised chickens in three cages. It seemed like they were given just enough to live a self-sustained life.
The decayed and crumbling walls and roofs of the houses received no attention or maintenance. I saw older people sitting around to wait for days to go by without going anywhere. Kids on the dirt road entertained each other with a few pieces of rocks they could find.
The visit was a great experience to make me think of my life in the land of plenty and be grateful for the freedom I have, something not to be taken for granted.
The cement factory in the distance
Lynton joined the kids to play rockets (firecrackers)
The Showers of Blessings 
Yes, we have a lot to be grateful for, Miriam.
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That’s true, Robbie! We’re grateful for so many things!!
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Reading your post, I remembered the same experience in East Germany, in the eighties. Nothing is granted in our lives, and freedom is not a free bonus.
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Thank you, Nicole. We went to Germany five years ago. The tour guide took us to the remain of Berlin Wall and said that she was among the people who “break down” the Wall. Yes, freedom comes with a price.
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Thank you, Frank!
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It is in such situations that we begin to count our blessings.
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Yes, I’m so grateful for the abundant blessings!
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Wow, Emily – this is very beautiful. Sending you and all involved many blessings 🙂 Have a great weekend. Love your contribution! Love, Debbie
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This is Miriam, Have a nice weekend.
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It seems the gov’t didn’t quite provide enough compensation for the farm, and farm land and house. They should at least give them well maintained homes.
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Yes, I know. people don’t have choices and voices!!
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It is all changing so fast. The once rural landscape might soon revert to nature pretty soon if folks decided to all move to the cities…
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Some are “forced” to move to the cities when factories are all in the cities. We saw rows and rows apartments to accommodate the people coming to work in the cities and still have their homes in the villages for the older and younger folks.
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True Miriam, we’ve a lot but i believe others with their simple life are happy too.
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You’re right, Nahla. Our family didn’t have much when I was a kid. I was happy!
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You have had some amazing journeys throughout your life 🌹
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Yes, Elaine. thank you. It gives me different perspectives about life also! 🙂
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Very interesting, Miriam. Thanks for letting us see the area.
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You’re welcome, Cheryl. It’s hard for me to imagine having that kind of life!
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Makes you realize how blessed we are.
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It’s so true. We are blessed!
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