I Complained....Until...

Ever felt totally disillusioned with life? Ever felt things were so bad they can’t possibly get any worse? Well, the cruel truth is they can get much worse. This is by no means a reason for you to get more depressed. Rather, an invitation to give thanks for what you still have. We tend to get so caught up in the negative things that are occurring in our lives, that we lose focus of those things that we should be grateful for. When we see images of people suffering, such as the ones displayed from Haiti and Nicaragua, we should feel appreciative for our many blessings. In fact, I felt silly when I thought of the ridiculous things I find myself complaining about on a day to day basis. Maybe you didn’t get into the college of your dreams, but at least you’re getting an education. Maybe your clothes fit a little too snug, but at least you have enough to eat. Maybe you lost your car, but at least you still have your house and your legs. The list goes on and on.

We tend to look at the trials and tribulations in our own lives and make them of paramount proportion. As a child, I remember my mother would always scold me when I would cry over insignificant things. Although to me my crisis seemed HUGE, she assured me that there are always people worse off than me. Perhaps children out there without parents or a place to live would look at my “problems” and desperately envy them. An Indian proverb came to my mind as I was observing the photographs of the destruction, “I complained that I had no shoes, until I met a man that had no feet”.

Though it is natural to look at such images and feel sorry for the individuals in them, compassion merely is not enough. Action is necessary in order for there to be change. These people didn’t do anything to deserve what’s happening to them, it could’ve easily been us struggling in their place. We should never get too comfortable where we’re at. If today you refuse to help those who are in need because you believe that it’s their problem or they should fix it, will you be naïve enough to expect others to help you in your time of need? It is inspiring to see how people throughout Florida are lending a helping hand, in spite of our own economic downturn. Sure, our house market may be down, but that’s better than not having a house at all.

I believe that yes, we do have the power to change things. The problem is many people often say “it’s pointless, I’m just one person…I’ll leave it for someone else to make a change”. And so everyone thinks the same, before you know it the whole world sits there stagnant, waiting for another person to take on the responsibility that belongs to them. We underestimate the power of the individual. One individual taking a stand to make a change can produce a wave, encouraging others that were unconvinced to do the same.