Appreciating the Little Things 

by America Malacara

I, myself, am known for being somewhat of a pessimist. I can't outright lie about it – there are too many people that know how negative and close-minded I am to try to fool them all with mere words.
The truth is that, collectively, people tend to be more pessimistic when they notice all the things wrong with their lives instead of noticing the small good things that happen. I've more than once fallen into a vicious cycle where I can't seem to outweigh the negatives with the positives in my brain. It's like I can't wrap my brain around how lucky I am to be living the life I have now.
Something I fail to remember every day is how not every kid my age is fortunate enough to be living with any of the privileges or even rights that I have. Things I take for granted, like freedom of speech and freedom of religion and a right to an education, are all things that even some people in the world today still have not experienced. In some places of the world, girls my age aren't allowed to go to school and learn how to read – leading eventually to their entrapment into a life of poverty and homogeneity. Within even the lower portion of the American continent – for example, in Mexico – the students who want to succeed and escape the life they were unfortunately born into don't have that ability. Some schools don't have an adequate supply of educators, much less walls or air conditioning.
And I take this for granted.
I take for granted how the United States government, though flawed, is much less corrupt than its global counterparts. Referring again to Mexico, since it's the country I know best, corruption within the government has led to a disgraceful loss of resources for the people and a deteriorating quality of life. Essentially, the wealthy upper class has all the power to make the
decisions, while the lower class is left standing in the dust. Countless revolts and plans for uprisings show how unstable the country currently is, and the market for drugs has only worsened the condition of what used to be a beautiful Mexico.
I don’t live in these conditions, and I take this for granted.
The point of this entire rant is that I don't believe we appreciate how fortunate we are. We live in a downright okay country, and yet we still find ourselves complaining about our grades, or our social lives, or how there's no air conditioning, or the Wi-Fi went out, or this, or that, while there are hundreds of people who have it way worse than we do.
I'm sure you're thinking, "Okay, America. So, our generation is becoming less appreciative. Why does this matter and why should I care?" The thing is, people are less likely to get involved with issues outside of them if they don't even realize the disparity experienced by many. Why would you help a homeless man if you thought you had it worse than he did? So, here's what I'm suggesting, take it or leave it: find opportunities to reach out to those around you. There are COUNTLESS resources through which we can find ways to help those who are less fortunate. Just Serve and Volunteer Match are both great websites through which you can find a way to help. Helen Hall Library also has brochures with information on how to volunteer in your community today. Find a way you can make a difference, and you'll learn to not only appreciate what you have, but know what to do with that knowledge.