Awareness fuels discontent. Do you agree? I am content with my car until a newer model drives by. I am content with my cell phone until my friend shows me what her iphone can do. We are content with what we have as long as we aren't aware that something better/newer/flatter/bigger/smaller is out there. I saw this played out in my house today. This morning Will was so happy because Spring Break starts today. He was content with not having school. He never asked one time what we would be doing. He didn't care. But when he got off the bus today his face was downcast.
"Mom, EVERYONE is going somewhere for Spring Break. One kid is going on a cruise, and one kid is going to the beach, and another kids is going to the Great Wolf Lodge. When the teacher asked who was going on a trip this week, everyone raised their hand--except me!"
It didn't help that the lady at the bus stop had been telling me about her upcoming trip to Paris and Switzerland. My first thought was that we need to move because we cannot keep up with the "Joneses" around here ... but I really like the Joneses.
Then I remembered that not only am I aware of the people around me who have more. I am also aware of the people who have less. I know about Japanese refugees, the Haitian orphans, and the African AIDS victims. I know about the neighborhoods in East Richmond and South Oklahoma City. I've had tea in a mud hut. I've met boys who can't go to school because they don't have any shoes. I know that I have more than 90% of the world's population.
So I can choose to let my awareness fuel my discontent or I can choose to let my awareness spur me on to share what I have with those who have less. Hopefully my children will choose to look at what they have rather than what they don't have--either that or we will have to move...
4 comments:
Marlo, this is so true!! I have had a talk with my youngest lately to remind him how blessed we are. Do you mind if I share your blog on fb? It's so good.
It seems to be a battle back and forth between seeing what others have that we want and seeing what others need that we have. Thanks for the reminder to look at the dixie cup as half full...at least the water's clean!
We have never gone away on Spring Break either and the neighborhood is desolate but at this point the kids don't know the difference. The kids learn to be content by example and surely you and Richard are setting that example for them to follow. The solution is not moving!!! It is doing just what you are doing.
What a great post Marlo! God has really been teaching John and I about being content and living with less through this adoption process. When you're adopting a child from a country that lives on $2 or less a day it puts things into a whole new perspective. Thanks for sharing this blog....
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