The massive Ebola outbreak and the conflicts in the Middle East have been making me think more seriously about what I’m grateful for. Of course, my family and friends are extremely important, but what about the basic infrastructure of resources in our country? I feel we take this for granted in a major way on a daily basis. Not that that should make us feel guilty, rather it should engender a deep appreciation for basic things—accessibility to clean water, 24-hour electricity, ease of transportation, high-quality medical care, rights to education, and the security to be able to leave one’s own home without the threat of violence or a foreign or domestic military presence.
During my junior year of college, I lived in France and Spain. Granted, it was a far cry from living in Liberia or war-torn Syria and Iraq, but even living in Western Europe made me appreciate our way of life here. I remember being so psyched for each shower I got. To a teenager who was used to a daily full-blasting hot water shower, having to wait several days for each shower and having it be a trickle of water or a light spray while standing in a not-quite fully enclosed shower stall, well, this took some getting used to. During weekend jaunts around the continent, bathing was even more difficult, either due to not wanting to use the community shower rooms in hostels or having a room with a tub (no shower or curtain, mind you). Smack dab in the middle of the room. Just out there in the open when you were sharing a room with 3 other people. Like I’m going to take a bath with all the roommates watching, some of which were people I had just met a few weeks prior. As a result, we made a game of tallying up the number of consecutive hours one would wear the same clothes. Long weekends could achieve the “76 hours in jeans” status. I realize this isn’t major suffering by any means, but just the sheer difference of it was enough to cause me to reflect upon how convenient and expected things are here. On the plane home after eight months in Europe, all I could think about was a nice, long, hot shower—and the option to take one anytime I wanted in the privacy of my own bathroom.
Speaking of freedoms, one experience I had in Spain has stuck with me for over twenty years. And I am reminded of it every time I hear stories on the news about the US military presence in other parts of the world, which has been plentiful lately. It was 1992. I was out with some Spanish and American friends one night…I think we were in line to get into a club of some sort. A slightly tipsy Spaniard came up to us and questioned our nationalities. Once he knew we were Americans, he proceeded a soapbox-like tirade about how we have no idea what it’s like to live in the presence of another country’s military. “How would you feel if you had a Spanish military base in your hometown?” (There was an American base outside the city of Sevilla, where I was living.) “You Americans have no idea. Your military just plops itself down here in the name of protecting the world and we just have to accept it.” It was something I had NEVER thought of and I’m sure most Americans don’t either. There is just no way to relate to that being from this country.
So this year, I am going to take some time to be grateful for the daily conveniences here in the United States. No need to dwell for too long. I can’t solve all the world’s problems. But, I can tell you I plan to take a few extra deep breaths of gratitude each time I step into that hot shower or drive freely across state borders or watch my kids enjoying themselves at a local playground. How lucky we are in this part of the world.
mom stuff and other things 