things i'm not

i'm not:

-in danger
-starving
-alone

i have:

-shelter
-food
-clothing
-people who care about me

sometimes it's good to remind myself of these things, especially in economically unstable times like these. what matters are things we overlook. we're so used to being a privileged country that we think we're owed said privilege. nah. we ain't.

i wonder who decides what life we get when we're born. some theories are that we decide before we're born, others say god does. still others think it's random. and why? what lessons is a starving congo child who only lives to 5 years old supposed to learn? or are others around her supposed to learn something from her and that's why she came into the world for such a short time?

me and everyone i know, we have everything. compared to most people, we're filthy rich. my $20 (that i wonder how i can stretch for two weeks) could keep someone alive for 2 months. it's our job as americans not to be callous and greedy(per usual), but humble, aware and conserving. our leaders haven't encouraged these traits in us, but that's no excuse. since when has it been a good idea to live how our leaders dictate, anyway? LBH.

the news is nonstop with the financial crisis, and for what? i think it's a good thing to take us americans down a big fat notch. i say this as someone who has already been directly affected by the plummeting economy. i'm not saying it will be easy, it already isn't. but if everything were easy, life wouldn't be worth living. we're used to a gross standard of living, and i include anyone who can afford a car, afford to eat out, anything like that. country-wide turmoil changes the way we operate. some people panic, some people embrace what they still have. what matters. fyi... money is not it.

i am already a better person from this. my priorities have shifted in a way that i can be more confident and proud in the way that i live, knowing that i am living more humbly. i am not perfect and have more work to do, and sometimes i still get upset that i'm not doing enough, but it's an uphill road who's destination will be worth the struggle. my struggle is nothing. i draw inspiration from those who accomplish more than me in one day while on their deathbed, diseased, impoverished, forced to do unthinkable things just to survive.