I live in a very well off community. One where the majority of people living in nice homes have clean water to drink, food on the table, clothes to wear, and even have money to splurge on the extra things. Many of the kids have played organized sports, have gone on vacations, and many of their parents pay for some or all of their college. When you grow up around people of a similar economic status to your own, you sometimes forget just how well off you are. We are extremely lucky to live the way we do, yet we always have to remember that not everyone is that lucky.
We obviously do not choose where we are born and to whom. I could have been born to in a very poor area to parents who did not have jobs and could not afford to support me. For that exact reason, I always try to keep in my mind just how privileged I am.
Over the past two summers, I went on a service trip for a week to Appalachia to help rebuild and fix homes of families who could not afford it themselves. These people had done everything they could and we were their last hope. These wonderful and amazing people were so grateful for the service we doing them and made it so clear to us. They also found so much happiness in the little things. They were happy simply to be together. They did not need a lot of money or things to be happy. Being around others they loved was enough for them and it really got me thinking.
People get upset on a daily basis when they don't get the new iPhone they wanted or their mom forgot to buy their favorite soda from the store while these people have the bare minimum to survive and could not be more satisfied. It really changed my perspective and made me so much more grateful for everything I have.
People like me were born with privilege. And anyone that tells you otherwise is lying. Our economic status has opened doors for us that some of these people would never even dream of and I think we forget that sometimes. The kids living in the houses we worked on may never get to go to college and they may never get out of their town that is literally falling apart. For this reason, I feel it is our duty to help others that may not be as fortunate as we are. Taking a week of my summer for two years is one of the ways that I chose to do so and I encourage every single person to take some time to do the same. This experience honestly changed my life and I will be forever grateful for its ability to provide me with a change in perspective.
