I see people vacationing year after year in different countries, and exploring the world. I see people who get to live fancy lives I can only dream of experiencing. I see people who have never stressed one single day about balancing school, work, extra curricular activities, and a social life. And I begin to get a little (more than a little) jealous. The thing I have failed to see is that we each have a unique story in life, and need to learn to love and appreciate our own.

I personally have never been to another country, that would require a passport, which I do not have. I saw the ocean for the first time this summer and I am almost 20. I have spent most of my life living the small town life, with the most exciting events being the county fair in the summertime and traveling 30 miles to see the Big Bang Boom. I have watched television and seen glamorous lives, and questioned why I got stuck living in a town of 1300 people, with no stop lights in my entire county. The answer to that question is, it is God's plan.

I realize now that I would not be the person I am today without the upbringing I had. Living on a farm taught me that we must earn things in life by working hard. I have learned that we must be kind, fair, and honest. I have learned to appreciate all that I receive in life because others might not be so lucky. On my trip to NYC, I gained a new appreciation for the midwest. We may not have oceans that stretch for miles, or mountains that seem to touch the heavens, but we do have backroad drives, starry skies, and beautiful sunsets.

My point in this article is that we all have times we become envious of others, but when that happens take a step back and look at just how blessed you truly are in life. We are all brought up in different ways that result in who we become. All of our journeys are different from one person to the next, and that is awesome! We need to learn to love the life we have. If everything we wanted was given to us right off the bat, then what would we have to dream of and strive for in this crazy world?

My advice is to stop dwelling on what you don't have, and go after all of your dreams. Don't waste time being jealous of those who have what you don't have. Dream so big people think you are crazy, and prove those people wrong. God gave us the life we live, so are we just going to abandon that gift on the shelf, or discover all of its beauty?