Count your blessings (It could always be worse)

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more
blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married... you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

And the sin of all of this is that we still want more.....

 

I fail on three points (wont say which) but i have other good things in life like a wife who loves me (sometimes) and a daughter who i am very proud of also a son in law who treats her with respect.

as you say it could be worse
:drool

 

Certainly thought provoking shanemail, makes one realize how blessed they are. I saw on tv recently what some people have to go through just to obtain a small amount of water, where we turn a handle.

 

Beautiful and exacting insight Shane. Thank you.

LS:wave

 

"Wisdom is knowing that you know nothing"

Then I am truly wise - wasn't me

It's just something I found on the net whilst looking for jokes, wasn't actually sure how it would be received on here.

I did come up with the title though rolleyes


I don't personally blame us for taking this (western capitalist) life for granted, some of us have never known anything else and we (at least I) have become somewhat immune to the media coverage of starvation, persecution, disease, destruction, genocide and corruption.

It is somewhat different to the days of 'Live Aid' back in the 80's

But, we should at least be conscious of the fact that the top 1% of the planets population possesses 99% of its 'wealth' (or thereabouts)

It is not so much a case of "If you don't use it you lose it"
more like "If you don't waste it, then perhaps someone else can survive"

It seems the more of us there are, the further back down the evolutionary scale we slide.
Survival of the fittest in its basest form, competition and vanity/arrogance drive us
instead of peace and goodwill to all life on this floating rock.

/rant

 

So... I suppose it would be unkind of me to say:

'In your face, rest of the world.' ?

 

roflmao

 

I think the rest of the world would have to value your opinion to take any offence

 

Actually, I have experienced some of those things at some points in life. But life is not too bad now, and that's what counts.

I have sufficient food, clothing and shelter, and a close-knit group of friends. One couldn't really ask for more. If I can make other people better off than they would otherwise be, then that's a bonus, i.m.h.o. I'm no saint, but I try and be a decent human being, so to speak.

 

I believe everyone (especially the privileged) should experience hard times. Only then can you be truly compassionate for those who have nothing.

 

Great find, shanemail. I have printed it out to remind me of my blessings, and the lack thereof for my friends in Sierra Leone.

Hopefully the new government just elected there, will not go down the same track as others in SL and Africa in particular. :cry
Bazza

 

Good post - everyone should read that when feeling sorry for themselves over some trifle.

It occured to me earlier this morning that I have today passed up my older brother in age. He died of cancer in 2004, at the age of 46 years, 4 months, and 12 days. It was unexpected - he developed a pain in his abdomen one day and went to see a docter. From there he was sent to a specialist . . . 14 days later he died, having never made it back home again.

This made me realise just how fast things can change in your life, and how unimportant some of my 'big' worries were then.

I learned then to consider the blessings in my life, and I have tried to keep to that. It is hard sometimes - things can gang up on a person - but I've been able to always put things into perspective finally.

All that really matters is family, and friends. Your possessions will not remember nor miss you when you are gone - but the people that love and respect you will. This is the only thing you can actually take with you when you go.

It helps me to remember my brother was indeed a man with many blessings.

 

Some good (privileged) people out there still know compassion Darlene...just a matter of looking. However, I agree, there are those "privileged" who should experience hard times to understand true compassion.

 

Seems like the news is dominated with the antics of a few young women here. They are the topic of conversion on every show, in every monologue. Now even travel channel shows are using their names for (who stayed in this $40,000.00 a night room. Good grief they all belong in rehab. uke Little rich girls.

 

Sounds like those females have more money than brains...perhaps compassion just doesn't even come into the equation in their case.

 

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o281/obnoxious2/couldbeworse.jpg

 

Nice post Shanemail

Keeps my expectations of life in check. Very thought provoking .

G

 

I think that sums it all up fairly well obnoxious

roflmao