on being grateful

"this is what’s on my mind. I have a customer that comes in once a week to buy a beer called Leffe. I asked him today where his country of origin was. He said the Congo. He’s been here since 1996 and will never go back. I asked why. He said, ‘when you see rape and murder happen everyday to your family, you must leave or be killed.’ He still has family in the Congo. I thought how incredibly hard it must be to live with knowing your family could be harmed daily. I get to see a world view from the little wine shoppe and today I cried for knowing that I complain about the smallest inconveniences in my life, when there are people truly struggling just to stay alive in our world. It made me feel blessed for my next breath and sad, all at the same time. So, I cried."

 

This was posted by a sweet lady on Facebook who owns a little wine shop, and it made me think all the way back to when I was 25 years old. I worked as a cashier at a grocery store with a gal who treated me as her daughter. She was hosting an foreign exchange student from Russia, which I thought was inspirational in itself, as this was during Gorbachev's reign. (Glasnost, Perestroika and all.)

This young gal was only 17 years old and had grown up poor. When Elaine, my co-worker, brought her to work one day to show her what she did for a living, the girl's eyes just BUGGED out of her head. She gazed up at all the shelves piled high with  food, the produce section, which had every fruit and veggie known to humankind and the bakery with food that was wrapped! She just could not believe the excess. Or...what she thought was excess. She came from a tiny village that had a marketplace, but she said the bread was usually stale and hard. You bought it anyway and served it with soup or tea to soften it. And it was never wrapped, so flies were always crawling all over the display. Any produce was limited to what was grown in the vicinity and usually wasn't very edible, due to a lack of fertilizers or pesticides. She touched everything with the wonder of a young child and I felt myself growing smaller...and smaller...My stomach heaved as I thought of how much we take for granted, of what we just toss in the trash if it isn't good enough...of how many grocery stores have customer service counters where we toss a bag of oranges on the desk and complain how they are "sour!" Oh my. We are a wasteful lot in this land of plenty.

And so this posting also got me to thinking yet again...about people in other countries who are fighting for survival in certain economies, in war torn conditions, with no real drinking water or schools. They may have tin roofed huts, no electricity, certainly no video games...heck...people living in Haiti, who suffered through an earthquake almost THREE years ago, are still sitting amidst rubble as if it were yesterday!

Today--take a step back and be grateful for what you have. This big, blue marble that we live in is  a huge place...I know it can seem intimidating to just jump in and "do something," but maybe begin in your own neighborhood or town. Where do you see the need? How can you be of help or comfort? Is it in the homeless beggar on a downtown street? Or a mom with three small kids and no transportation to get around? Or maybe someone who is recovering from addictions and just needs that second chance--reserve your judgment and offer yourself willingly to help them out. Give them a boost up. Maybe all they need is just one step up from where they have been-just ONE step! Think about it--If everyone did this, just helped a few people, the ripple effect will take over and soon, we will live in a world full of hope...and love.

Wouldn't that be great?

Peace be with you...