Every year for a number of years I've participated in posting a gratitude a day for the month of November on social media. Sometimes, its very easy. I can find 30 things to be grateful for in less than a minute. Sometimes, it seems trite and silly. Sometimes, I feel like I'm riding the bandwagon, even though I know I've practiced this longer than Facebook has been around. But sometimes? Its hard. Its hard to find the things to be grateful for when life is difficult, and my horizon is blurred by so much.
This year, I will be thankful and show gratitude. Facing financial difficulties in the United States is still a sight better than living well in a third world country. I don't live in a culture where I must build my own hut out of cow manure (Masai). For this alone, I am thankful. My small American tract house is large compared to many places, even compared to other first world cultures and American cities. We house only two generations in this home. Not only do we have the luxury of indoor plumbing, we have two bathrooms. Water comes into our house on demand. Not just water, but clean water, free of parasites and germs. I have a device that provides enough hot water to shower 5 people with hot water left over. I don't have to walk 3-4 miles a day to get water (est. 1,000,000,000 people do). I don't have to worry about my children being assaulted by soldiers or gangs when they use water (South Sudan).
Compared to other Americans, our life is a struggle. Compared to other humans? We've got it easy.
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