I’m not here to lecture you and list all of the things we have in our first world country that third world countries struggle with every day. That’s not the purpose of this article. The purpose is to remind you. Remind you of all the things that we take for granted every day not only as a first world country but as students, friends, family, human beings and people living on this planet. That being said, here we go.
1. A full stomach, a roof over your head and a warm bed to sleep in
Sometimes when I lay in bed at night I think about what it would be like to be homeless, sleeping on a cold sidewalk instead of tucked into my bed with a million pillows and blankets. I think about what it would be like to not have a dining hall at my fingertips or a full fridge to rummage through when my stomach rumbles. Sure we talk about how much living in a dorm room and eating from a dining hall sucks but what if we didn’t have it. It would be so much worse. Just some food for thought, pun intended.
2. Water
Water and food go hand and hand but one is more important than the other. Did you know you can do 3 weeks without food and survive but only 3-4 days without water? How many of you go to fill up your water bottle without even thinking twice about the luxury that that is? There are places in this country who barely have clean drinking water. Look it up. I know I said I wasn’t going to do the whole guilt trip type thing but it really is mind-boggling how something as trivial as water can be such an issue. Drink Responsibly.
3. An education
We all complain about group projects and papers and exams and labs...the list goes on forever. But how many times do you sit back and think “Wow I’m so lucky to be here”. We work hard so that we can be here. Our parents work hard so that we can be here. We are here because we deserve to be, but don’t take that as a right. There are plenty of people who deserve to be here as much as you do but didn’t quite make it for whatever reason. There are moms and dads going to school late at night because they didn’t have the same opportunity at their age as you do right now. Now, I’m not saying that has anything to do with you, I’m just saying have some gratitude for your current situation, the opportunities you’re given and the privileges that go with them.
4. Family (even the unconventional kind)
A family isn’t always biological as I know many people have come to realize throughout their lifetime. These are people that are there to support you, love you and encourage you to be the best that you can be whether they are biologically related to you or not. I understand not everyone is perfect. I understand sometimes people have alternative motives and turn out not to be the person you thought they were even though they are your mother, brother, sister, cousin, niece, etc. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the genuine people in your life. Sure, we all have been burned and the scars are there to show it. But don’t let that prevent you from realizing the true people in your life. Hold on to them tight and don’t ever let go.
5. Nature and new life
You know the feeling when a new baby is born? Or the moment on a hike when you just stand there and listen to the bird's chirp and watch the trees sway in the wind? It’s times like that that we need to open our eyes to more. Newborn babies are so small and oblivious to the world. They don’t know what it’s like to feel pain or be hurt. They don’t have any clue about anger or sadness. They sleep, poop and eat. That’s it. The simplicity is crazy. I think the appreciation of new life is definitely one of the things we look at the most. We don’t think about how easy it is to be a baby. We don’t take the time to sit with nature and just soak it all in. We don’t appreciate that life is something that is beautiful and maybe if we reflect on the simple things it brings, the rest of it won’t seem so bad.
I’m saying all of this to help you stay grounded. I’m not trying to make you feel guilty about having what other people don’t or make you feel attacked for having privilege. I’m simply reminding you to be humble, to realize the blessings you have been given, big or small, and to be grateful for them.