Through anothers eyes...

I'm reading a book right now (fiction) about a princess from Saudi Arabia and the life she lives. If it is at all accurate, which I'm guessing it has to have at least a hint of authenticity to it, then I'm realizing just how sheltered I am from the state of lives of those in other cultures.

You go on a couple of mission trips and you think that you start to have this picture of the rest of the world. But honestly, I think until I have lived all over the world and experienced the lives of others first hand I will never get a complete picture of what it is like to live outside of the US (probably not even then). The idea of torture is something I can't fully wrap my head around. Or women being required to cover themselves when in public. How about children running through the streets starving and mutilating themselves in hopes that those who pass them by will have more sympathy and give them money for food - or drugs even. Or even simply not having the internet available at your finger tips whenever you want it. Clean water - I turn on the tap and don't even question that fresh, clean water will come out. It's the little things that we take for granted and expect out of our cushy world here in the middle class. What would it be like to have grown up in another country not as fortunate as my own? It's a question to ponder and remind me of how fortunate and blessed I am.

Even from my experience this summer, working in a small town just up the road my eyes were opened to how blessed I am. I have two parents that genuinely love me and want the best for me. They have always provided the necessities and have even gone above and beyond my needs. I grew up feeling safe, secure, loved, knowing that there were high expectations for my behavior and attitude towards my parents and others. It wasn't a question as to whether enough food would be on the table that night. I didn't have to wish that I had a toothbrush and tooth paste but rather was "forced" to brush twice a day. Again, it's the little things that are so eye opening sometimes.