kj

Our first few days in Port au Prince have been trying, on both an emotional and a physical level. There was a major incident just hours after our arrival that left me and my team mates overwhelemed with feelings of guilt, doubt, sadness, and heartbreak.
What's amazing is that while our spirits were low, the spirits of the Haitians were there to comfort us. The Haitians that were more directly affected were not bending over backwards- they were doing double back roundoff handspring triple axle front flips to make sure we were being comforted. What's great about that is that we accepted their servitude. Sometimes that's hard for Americans because of pride and the feeling that we go to countries like Haiti to serve because those people need our help, because we are 'priviliged'. Far from the truth.

Something I frequently hear about from people who have traveled to third world countries is that they come home reminded how lucky we are here in America
(and they don't forget to remind those around them of their so-called luck, either. Finish your food! Kids are starving in Africa!)
However, I am learning that my idea of luck must be constrewed.
I'm lucky to own a car so I never have to walk anywhere.
I'm lucky that I have a warm bed so I can blast the AC and still be comfy n cozy under all those blankets.
I'm lucky that I have a cell phone so I don't have to have face-to-face time unless neccessary.
I'm lucky to have an over-abundance food, most being toxic to my body, available for me to eat 24/7.
I'm lucky to have electricity so I can sit around and watch 900 channels of television while my laptop is on, refreshing my facebook homepage every two minutes or so.
I'm lucky to have so many cute clothes in my closet, some I will only wear once or twice, otherwise I'd always look bad and would constantly do laundry. Drats!!!

Why do we think we are lucky, or blessed, because of things? We are reliant on them.
I rely on my car to get me to school and work. No car= no school and no work = a loser going nowhere in life.

I know we have all heard that we are living in a material world (and I am a material girl), but don't mistake our over-consumption and over-prosterity a blessing when it is a curse.

I'd say more but I g2g check my Twitter.