Got it Worse

Sometimes it is hard for us to step outside our busy lives and look at the world objectively.

With lives filled with jobs, children, classes, dirty dishes, doctors appointments, and shopping, movie nights, birthday parties, and making dinner; who in the world has time.

We get wrapped up in our own worlds. But once in a while, I like to stop and think about the world on a larger scale.

I will look at my neighbors, co workers, friends, family, and community. I listen to people tell me their problems and worries.  It makes me more appreciative of the life I have, and the problems I don't.

Growing up my mother would always say things like "Don't waste that food.  There are starving children in Africa."

To which of course my response was, "Let's get a box and ship it to them then."

But now that I am older, I look at little things like the fact that I am sitting down to a warm meal in a much brighter light.  Somewhere along the line, I realized there really was someone starving somewhere, and I should be grateful for the food on my plate.

Even on a smaller level, I have learned to be thankful for my own problems.  Other people's troubles sound worse than mine.

Friends are going through custody battles.  Co-workers have family on drugs, getting arrested, and hospitalized.  Neighbors are scraping by for basic necessities.

And suddenly my car breaking down, and having to buy a new one doesn't seem so bad.  My child having an attitude that needs adjusting isn't as big as problems people are having in my community.  Homes are catching fire.  Children are going missing.  People are dying.

Compared to all that, my life is pretty awesome.

It's a good practice, to step outside yourself and view the world through a different set of eyes.

Like my mother always said, "someones got it worse."