Poor Poor Pitiful Me

I'm having trouble getting a conversation I had with my 8 year old out of my head. She asked me, "why do grandparents (older generation etc..) eat such nasty, weird foods?" I know it sounds like an odd conversation to focus on, but humor me. I explained that their generation had to eat what was there, or they didn't eat. Which of course, brought up the inevitable question...why? This plunged us into an even deeper conversation, regarding the Great Depression, famine, poverty and even the consequences of waste.

The reason this conversation stuck with me, is simply because I know I am spoiled. I have never "really" had to worry about my family starving to death. My biggest concern is making my credit card payments on time. I know how good I have it compared to previous generations. My children know how much better they have it compared to even my generation. Hence, my issue.

I constantly hear, people my age and younger complaining about how hard of a life they have. I wonder if they would still feel that way after really listening to a survivor of the Great Depression, WW2, or someone who lost everything in a natural disaster.

I wonder if they would still pity themselves, if they spoke to the mother who has just realized her child is terminally ill? The father who has worked all his life and lost his job due to outsourcing, or the child who buried his mother after daddy drank too much?

Maybe they should speak to the widow who slept beside her husband's casket, the war veteran who lost both legs, or the family of the police officer who was gunned down over a speeding ticket?

There is always somebody who has it worse than me. If history has taught us anything, its that we are durable. The only thing we really need to survive, is food, water and shelter. The rest is just a convienence.

If we learned from, lived and loved like those before us, we would be happier, healthier and a lot less polluted in our world and our minds.