Daily blog #29
Privileged
It’s 8am as I type after watching a breathtaking sunrise at Joshua Tree National Park. I love going into nature when I can because of it’s beauty but also to be reminded of the inequalities of life. We are all cursed and blessed uniquely, it’s what makes us human and different from one another. It’s nice to be born an animal at top of the food chain but if you’re not, what’s the use in complaining. In nature there is an endless battle for survival at every second and humans are no different, we’re dealt our cards at birth and so begins the struggle to survive. And the truth of the matter is that some of us will never reach adulthood while some of us will go on to live full lives.
Psychologist Viktor Frankl endured extremely brutal conditions to survive the holocaust but if it were not for his suffering there would not be Logotherapy. This method of treatment, which operates on the premise that mankind’s primary motivational force is to find meaning in life, has helped thousands of people and is still used to this day. Stories like his show you that life isn’t fair, it’s what you make it. Too often we forget how good we have it and if you’re reading this you likely have internet, a cell phone, a roof and running water while there are people all over the world who don’t and are still fighting.
Some of the kids I work with have been born into wealth. That doesn’t mean they’re any better off or happier than anyone else. Sure they may be presented with more opportunities such as a college education or an inheritance but there is more to life than financial security. It’s easy for any of us to sit around and point out how much better someone has it but as the saying goes “the grass is always greener”. You never know what war is raging internally whether it’s lack of acceptance or feeling like they have no freedom to make their own life choices. Not having a life of hardship also comes with it’s own struggles such as lack of gratitude or the desire to work hard. It’s easy to complain about how society is built against us but the strong thing to do is focus on evolving ourselves daily and taking advantage of every day on this earth. Recognize that we are all privileged in our own ways, regardless of the color of our skin, our life circumstances or our predispositions at birth. What humans have shown is that we have a remarkable ability to overcome and achieve greatness despite all odds.