This semester has been full of challenges for me, but the
last two weeks have been trying for me in another way. First, my fridge broke, and then a water pipe
got a hole in it, leaving me without water for several days. As soon as the pipe was fixed the stairs up
to my front door began falling apart, first the rail fell off then one of the
steps collapsed in. Finally (or so I thought) my computer, which is pretty
essential to my job as a college teacher, became unusable. I persevered and with the help of family everything
was fixed, and I bought new parts and replaced repairable items. I
thought this would be enough challenges in my life, which was already filled up
with other challenges more intellectually and emotionally bound.
Well, you know what happens in life…there is no such thing
as “the end.” Last night my smartphone
fell out of my pocket and shattered the glass on it, and when I got home I shut
my trunk and the spoiler fell off.
However, something happened in-between the first set of disasters and this
new disaster which changed my perspective and refocused me on what is really
important and feel frustrated by these events.
I was on a social networking site and saw this picture:
on the bottom, the caption read, "First World Problems." I read it and laughed and went, “hmmm,” but didn’t delve much further than that. Then the moment came when my phone smashed
and my spoiler fell off my car that I said to myself, “first world problems!” and
didn’t feel any annoyance or frustration.
Now using “first world problems” can be offensive to some,
but to me it isn’t a slight on other countries or populations, but a
remembrance to myself what true hardship is and what I have and should
appreciate. None of the things that have
happened to me have any real impact on my life, my happiness, my success, my
ability to help, my comfort, my health, my abilities. Yes, it cost me money and time which can be
scarce, but I was able to find both. I
have had many other difficult moments in my life which involved health problems,
failed relationships, broken trust, painful experiences, hurtful words,
financial difficulties, loss, death and more.
Yet, I have been able to continue on a path of success and meeting goals
finding happiness and peace. I have a
comfortable home, transportation, family, love, hope, goals, intellect,
talents, health, peace, and more. I am
not in constant fear of hostilities, poverty, destroying my family. I do not have to flee for my safety. I have plenty of food and leisure. Even weeks I work 80 hours or more, I still
have more time than many. Even on weeks
I am not able to buy groceries, I have more food than some villages. There are
no plagues, bombs, blatant injustice, and humanitarian tragedies happening at
my door. I am so very blessed, so very
rich.
I saw myself falling into this trap as I have spent too much
time working and focused on work and what I need and want and not enough time
focused on others. I am grateful that my
perspective about what my life truly is and can be has reopened. I will continue to think “First World Problem.”
when things seem to be falling apart to remind me that it isn’t important enough
for frustration or other intolerant or negative feelings. I want a perspective based on a truer reality
not based on the shelter of my first world life. I am truly happy to have my life and live in
such an amazing time and such an amazing country. I hope I will be able to get out of my head
and my world and reach out to those with actual need and actual problems and
help them on their way. May we all strive to broaden our perpective so we can truly live a life full of joy!!
