counting our blessings

**babetteq** · 08-25-2006, 11:35 AM

It's interesting to see everyone saying "count your blessings", Be happy with what you have, "look around to see what you already have".....

I just don't know how it works (for me too) that we can live in the richest countries in the world, have more than almost anyone else in the world and yet feel broke. When I compare our standard of life to lots of developing countries, for example, just the amount of choice we have is stupifying.... what do you want for a snack? look in your cupboards... popcorn,chips,toast, candy, icecream.... how many of us could find 5-10 things *just for a snack*! Let alone meals for our families.

I always wonder why we have to remind ourselves how affluent and lucky and provided for we are - even those of us that are 'broke'...... but we do, I do too.

morning ramblings
babs

**autumnlynn** · 08-25-2006, 11:56 AM

I think a lot of it is because we are spoiled and have never had to live in conditions of the third world countries. We only know what we are familiar with and naturally, being spoiled, we want more!

**kabin63** · 08-25-2006, 12:36 PM

I think I can agree with Autumnlyn, we really are spoiled in this country for the most part.

**lilk** · 08-25-2006, 02:27 PM

I agree we are very blessed.

**AmyBoz** · 08-25-2006, 03:21 PM

Can't disagree with that!

**Nada.Leona** · 08-25-2006, 05:35 PM

It's very true. We sleep on beds made of stuffing and foam. Our bedding, clothing, cleaning garments and shoes are usually chosen for appearance rather than function. We keep animals for recreation instead of to serve us (protection, heavy lifting, etc.). We keep volumes of books on our shelves because we find them entertaining, rather than educational. We watch television and explore the internet, again for entertainment, rather than education. Our foods are full of flavors, colors, smells, and taste rather than nutritional value. Our lives are exceptionally vast and extraordinary compared to the lives of several others.

Here's a good reminder of how rich we truely are: http://users.gazinter.net/melan/Warn/Warnenu.htm

**Goodwin17** · 08-25-2006, 09:59 PM

I agree, we are very blessed. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that.

**babetteq** · 08-25-2006, 11:12 PM

Naderbug, I always love the 'if the world were 100 people' breakdown. thanks for posting a link to it.

I've been thinking about this again (every few months the idea crops up) and I wonder if it's not just about being spoiled, I wonder if happiness and contentment is simply comparative?= so that we compare what we have with the rest of the world around us and find ourselves lacking... Or whether we are really just lazy and spoiled and want everything all the time then get frustrated because we don't get it. I'm not being very eloquent, but I think you know what I mean.

babs

**Nada.Leona** · 08-26-2006, 08:33 AM

The question I ponder is: do you think the "rest of the world" -- the tribal communities in Kenya, the monks in the Himalayas, the rice farmers in Thailand, the fishermen in New Guinea... these are all parts of the world that we don't consider "first world" -- we look at their lack of education, their different social structures, their concepts of religion and their rudimentary home lives and we think that they are "poor" and "less fortuneate". But are they really? Do you think that they feel poor and deprived? Do you think that they miss watching The Food Network? Do you think they miss not being able to read the latest John Grisham? Do you think they miss a night out for dinner? Or do you think that perhaps they look at us and think, "Those people are so wasteful. Look at their filthy lands, their inept governments, their unhealthy bodies. How do they survive?"

**AmyMCGS** · 08-26-2006, 01:17 PM

In college I spent a week doing a "cultural submursion" (sp?) in Mexico. Basically, I lived with a family in Mexico for a week. In that part of Mexico, this family was probably upper middle class... and would be considered poor here. They had indoor plumbing and enough food to eat, so they were in good shape. However, I visited a trash dump and watched children digging for food... saw homes made of cardboard.... it was unbelievable. And, we were only about half an hour from the Texas border, where there were fast food restaurants and nice stores on every corner. It was very eye opening for me, and when I came home it took me a while to adjust to how nice everything is here.

**miss_thrifty** · 08-26-2006, 05:40 PM

I totally agree, we all do it from time to time, or our kids say theirs nothing to eat, when we see the commewrcials on t.v. of starving kids in other countries, i have to turn the channel.