The Lucky Ones by: Jillian Parks

The Lucky Ones

By: Jillian Parks

Today is a day I most hopefully won't forget. Today I have the chance to get on a plane to take a four hour ride to Panama. There, I will help rebuild a community who have close to nothing except the love and affection they share towards each other. Now, it's not like they have just witnessed a severe natural disaster, but to people up here, it might seem like it. 

This all got me thinking. Why do we take so much for granted? Why do some of us seem so unhappy when we have almost everything? Maybe life would just be easier if we didn't have all the electronics, extra money and privileges we have at the moment. Soon, I will be down there, and I will get to witness girls and boys jumping for joy over t shirts, headbands, colored pencils and even underwear that we brought them. Although we might have the ability to run in and grab any of these things in Target without even blinking, the kids in Panama wish for simple items like those on a daily basis. Never once have we (or at least me) thought "Wow, I'm so lucky to be getting new shoes today!" because for us, it's almost human nature to get new shoes for Christmas or when the new school year starts. 

So what's the point of this blog post? I guess I got a little distracted from it, but I wanted anyone reading this to think, not even everyday, but just once in a while, how lucky and privileged Sparta New Jersey is. Kids our age may be just as old as us but are living completely different lives. I am excited to have this opportunity to go to Panama not only to get a break from the cold weather (lol) but to come back and hopefully be more appreciative for the life I have now and take for granted almost every minute.