Letter of the Day

Learning from Sam

SADLY for Sam Newman, it took the tragic and untimely deaths of his wife and his close friend to “reassess how I do things” (Confidential, 27/4).

Fortunately for him, that reality check engendered a markedly changed perspective “about other people’s grief or tragedy”.

For many years previously, Newman had disparaged, even disrespected others, seemingly indifferent and uncaring about the impact of his remarks.

But now he tells us he is “far more emotional” and now appreciates “people doing it tough”.

Maybe his new persona can be a catalyst for change for some whose privilege, power and prestige over those less fortunate continues unchallenged, especially by themselves.

Living in comfortable and content social bubbles, they can, and often do, evince no empathy, compassion or understanding for the tragedies that beset their fellow humans.

One can only hope they will experience a “reality check”, albeit without a tragic circumstance, to make them more respectful and kinder.

Sam Newman, at 76, is lucky to have four granddaughters who’ve given him “a whole new perspective in life”. It’s never too late to change one’s way of seeing, and being.