Storying the Self #3 – Perspective

This is a story about gratitude, thankfulness, and perspective. Growing up I always had a nutritious home cooked meal in front of me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My Mom made sure that I had the right amount of every food group in my lunch box, and some days, there was even a treat. My favorite was getting a bearpaw with a note saying, “I love you, have a great day, and make good choices.” I developed quite an appetite as I grew older, and never once did I have to worry about feeling hungry or not having enough food to eat.

            About four years ago I had the opportunity to go to Africa on a mission’s trip. We spent numerous hours socializing with African natives located deep in the dense and unpredictable jungle. For many of the jungle natives, my teammates and I were the first white people with blue eyes and blonde hair they had ever seen. These people had never been touched by civilization.

            It was in Africa where I became aware of the wealth that I possessed, even as a middle-class individual. Due to the contaminated water supplies in Africa, we were only allowed to drink bottled water. We carried ample supplies of these bottles around with us as we went from village to village. We quickly learned that we could not set down an empty bottle to go help with something. If we did this, small children would race to the unattended, empty plastic bottle and viciously fight to gain possession of it. Biting, punching, kicking, and scratching, blood sometimes was shed. This was all for possession of a plastic water bottle; something we as Canadians just throw away daily without thought.

            We later learned why this plastic bottle was of such value to the children. These bottles could be taken home to their parents who could fill them with something and sell it. This image of small children fighting for the possession of an empty water bottle will stay with me for the rest of my life. To this day I have a hard time not finishing my water glass at a restaurant or dumping perfectly clean water down the drain. I saw people in Africa who drink water from swamps and go hungry.  This experience revealed to me how truly grateful and blessed I am to have food in the fridge and clean water to drink. It reminded me of the luxurious right we as Canadians have to a free education and healthcare. This is definitely a time where I felt the impact of my socioeconomic status and is a time when I realized how privileged I am to be a part of the Canadian middle-class.