Paul Sweeney: “How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy.”
This last year has really been an eye opener while living outside of the United States. I have realized that I was and am a very blessed person. Growing up I never worried about not having food to eat or clothes to wear. Instead I picked through the food on my plate or didn’t eat it because it wasn’t hot enough. In school I remember not wearing many of my clothes because they weren’t in style. I got a job at age 16 not realizing how important a job is to some people. I would complain about having to work and then after earning a paycheck or two blow it on something too frivolous to remember.
I was a decent student but I hated English class, I didn’t realize that many people of the world would pay anything if they could just learn how to communicate in the English language. I came to understand the importance of government and how it can make or break a people and nation.
I have become grateful for living in a country that has dairy farms so you can have fresh milk at the grocery store and not have to survive off of food storage milk. I became very thankful for the clean water that runs from the tap of my home in Ogden. I never once, growing up ever worried that the water might make me sick or might not be there when I turn the faucet handle. This past year I have realized how some places in the world do not have a dependable police force we have seen a drunk driver smash into someone’s home and the officers just laughed and let him walk home no ticket or jail time.
I have asked myself so many times in the past year why was this other person born here... in a country where it is so poor they will never see anything else, and I was blessed to be born in a place where I had every opportunity in the world sitting on a platter waiting for me to take it. As I watched people washing their laundry in the local river I wonder why them, do they wish for something better? Why me? I complained that the washer happened to be in my room growing up. I should have been thankful that we had our own washing machine so we never had to wear dirty clothes.
As I helped with English Classes in Dominica I asked the people where their families are and how long since they have seen them. For some it has been decades and many countries apart. For some of those people they crave America so bad they can taste it. They work for a while on an island to get enough money to get to the next island that is closer to America. All I have to do is book a ticket and I am home.
I realized I am thankful for so many daily things that I took for granted in the U.S. Electricity, water, A/C, internet, school, sunny days, sidewalks, street lights, warm showers, milk, diet coke, drive through, ice cream, friends and most of all family.
This 4th of July will be the first that I truly truly truly am grateful and thankful to my heavenly father that I was born in America to a good family who loves me. I wonder who I would be today if that one circumstance was changed. I have enjoyed traveling and living in different countries the places and people are amazing. The last year has been so awesome the people and places are seriously great! But there are things that you realize you take for granted when you don’t have them and America and all that comes with it is one of them.
I want to say to all my friends and family that I love you and I miss you and I hope you remember that you might not be wealthy or famous but you do have the freedom and liberty to be what and who you want and I think that is really cool.
God bless you and God bless America!
This last year has really been an eye opener while living outside of the United States. I have realized that I was and am a very blessed person. Growing up I never worried about not having food to eat or clothes to wear. Instead I picked through the food on my plate or didn’t eat it because it wasn’t hot enough. In school I remember not wearing many of my clothes because they weren’t in style. I got a job at age 16 not realizing how important a job is to some people. I would complain about having to work and then after earning a paycheck or two blow it on something too frivolous to remember.
I was a decent student but I hated English class, I didn’t realize that many people of the world would pay anything if they could just learn how to communicate in the English language. I came to understand the importance of government and how it can make or break a people and nation.
I have become grateful for living in a country that has dairy farms so you can have fresh milk at the grocery store and not have to survive off of food storage milk. I became very thankful for the clean water that runs from the tap of my home in Ogden. I never once, growing up ever worried that the water might make me sick or might not be there when I turn the faucet handle. This past year I have realized how some places in the world do not have a dependable police force we have seen a drunk driver smash into someone’s home and the officers just laughed and let him walk home no ticket or jail time.
I have asked myself so many times in the past year why was this other person born here... in a country where it is so poor they will never see anything else, and I was blessed to be born in a place where I had every opportunity in the world sitting on a platter waiting for me to take it. As I watched people washing their laundry in the local river I wonder why them, do they wish for something better? Why me? I complained that the washer happened to be in my room growing up. I should have been thankful that we had our own washing machine so we never had to wear dirty clothes.
As I helped with English Classes in Dominica I asked the people where their families are and how long since they have seen them. For some it has been decades and many countries apart. For some of those people they crave America so bad they can taste it. They work for a while on an island to get enough money to get to the next island that is closer to America. All I have to do is book a ticket and I am home.
I realized I am thankful for so many daily things that I took for granted in the U.S. Electricity, water, A/C, internet, school, sunny days, sidewalks, street lights, warm showers, milk, diet coke, drive through, ice cream, friends and most of all family.
This 4th of July will be the first that I truly truly truly am grateful and thankful to my heavenly father that I was born in America to a good family who loves me. I wonder who I would be today if that one circumstance was changed. I have enjoyed traveling and living in different countries the places and people are amazing. The last year has been so awesome the people and places are seriously great! But there are things that you realize you take for granted when you don’t have them and America and all that comes with it is one of them.
I want to say to all my friends and family that I love you and I miss you and I hope you remember that you might not be wealthy or famous but you do have the freedom and liberty to be what and who you want and I think that is really cool.
God bless you and God bless America!
5 comments:
Nice comments Kell. I agree with you. We take a lot of things for granted and get things just because we want them not necessarily because we need them. Think how much better off we would be if had to save up for months or even years to get something instead of just being able to go buy it or take out a loan. I think things would mean a lot more to us if we had to do that. Now that you've seen other people and places, instead of asking why me? You might want to start asking How? How can I help make a difference.
that was so moving! i couldn't have said it better.
You said that perfectly. I have never seen these places first hand but when commercials come on tv about helping the children I always find myself crying. Thanks for helping us see how good we really have it.
loved that post...it actually brought tears to my eyes thinking about how blessed we are as americans. i definitely have a different perspective after living abroad, but i am so grateful for the opportunity, too.
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