Comments on: From Another Perspective… http://thismommygig.org/2008/06/06/from-another-perspective/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:14:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Kymberli http://thismommygig.org/2008/06/06/from-another-perspective/#comment-449 Kymberli Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:29:14 +0000 http://thismommygig.org/?p=173#comment-449 I run into these thoughts all the time, too. I have gotten to the place I am in my life by virtue of my parents' priorities for a good education, often at the exclusion of their own luxuries. I got here by working hard to be a good student and getting a lot of scholarships. But I also got here because of a lot of good luck. I'm lucky I wasn't born in Sudan or Somalia. I'm lucky I had great doctors, dentists, teachers, pastors. I'm lucky I got to go to school for 13 years for free. I'm lucky I was in the myriad of extracurricular activities that a suburban white kid was "expected" to be in. I'm lucky I was able to go to college -- a better one than my middle class status should have afforded to me. I'm lucky I had great professors and career mentors all along the way. I'm lucky I met a wonderful man and have two amazing kids who are healthy and brilliant. I'm lucky I have a house, some cars, food on the table, fresh drinking water, and electricity to make my daily existence quite comfortable. I'm lucky to have been born during an era when women have more rights than at any time in history, and in a country in which my thoughts, opinions and wishes can be expressed. I'm lucky to be able to be sitting here at this moment and keying my opinion into a computer, to share with the entire world! I do think of these things a lot, and I thank God for the blessings I have been given. I try hard to point these things out to my own children when it seems appropriate. It doesn't seem right that they can throw away half of a meal, which would be more than some child in other circumstances has seen all week. It doesn't seem right that I lament over the rising cost of driving my air-conditioned van all over the suburbs while a woman of my age somewhere else spends an entire day walking to get as much water as she can carry home for the next day. It doesn't seem right that my children take foreign languages for fun, while other children in similar schools cannot learn in the only language they have known since birth, due to funding cuts -- or even worse, can't go to school at all. I could go on. I try to be appreciative of the life I have. I try to educate my children in the differences between "needs" and "wants". I try to open their eyes to the reality that some children live a much harsher life, and will continue to, long into their adulthood. We donate to the causes brought to our attention by our church, both locally and globally. We participate in some rather unique volunteer experiences, hoping to raise our kids' awareness. But I still wonder if there is something more, if it's enough, etc. Kymberlis last blog post..<a href="http://kmulford.edublogs.org/2008/05/30/diving-in-headfirst/" rel="nofollow">Diving In, Headfirst!</a> I run into these thoughts all the time, too. I have gotten to the place I am in my life by virtue of my parents’ priorities for a good education, often at the exclusion of their own luxuries. I got here by working hard to be a good student and getting a lot of scholarships. But I also got here because of a lot of good luck.

I’m lucky I wasn’t born in Sudan or Somalia. I’m lucky I had great doctors, dentists, teachers, pastors. I’m lucky I got to go to school for 13 years for free. I’m lucky I was in the myriad of extracurricular activities that a suburban white kid was “expected” to be in. I’m lucky I was able to go to college — a better one than my middle class status should have afforded to me. I’m lucky I had great professors and career mentors all along the way. I’m lucky I met a wonderful man and have two amazing kids who are healthy and brilliant. I’m lucky I have a house, some cars, food on the table, fresh drinking water, and electricity to make my daily existence quite comfortable. I’m lucky to have been born during an era when women have more rights than at any time in history, and in a country in which my thoughts, opinions and wishes can be expressed. I’m lucky to be able to be sitting here at this moment and keying my opinion into a computer, to share with the entire world! I do think of these things a lot, and I thank God for the blessings I have been given.

I try hard to point these things out to my own children when it seems appropriate. It doesn’t seem right that they can throw away half of a meal, which would be more than some child in other circumstances has seen all week. It doesn’t seem right that I lament over the rising cost of driving my air-conditioned van all over the suburbs while a woman of my age somewhere else spends an entire day walking to get as much water as she can carry home for the next day. It doesn’t seem right that my children take foreign languages for fun, while other children in similar schools cannot learn in the only language they have known since birth, due to funding cuts — or even worse, can’t go to school at all. I could go on.

I try to be appreciative of the life I have. I try to educate my children in the differences between “needs” and “wants”. I try to open their eyes to the reality that some children live a much harsher life, and will continue to, long into their adulthood. We donate to the causes brought to our attention by our church, both locally and globally. We participate in some rather unique volunteer experiences, hoping to raise our kids’ awareness. But I still wonder if there is something more, if it’s enough, etc.

Kymberlis last blog post..Diving In, Headfirst!

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