Hungry

The world that we live in can be very overwhelming. I turn on the news, which these days takes a certain amount of bravery, and undoubtedly end up in tears at the end of the segment. There is so much craziness and pain and idiocy going on that sometimes I can't even imagine smiling again. But somehow, I do.  And it's okay to be happy, regardless of the suffering that is endured by so many. It's not selfish-it would be more selfish to be blessed with food, clothing, shelter, and other basic human rights and be a miserable person. It would be a slap in the face to those who are not fortunate enough to have those things.

It makes me sad that we live in a world that cares more about the fact that Brad finally proposed to Angelina than that every 3.6 seconds a human being dies from hunger.  FROM HUNGER.  Many of us have so much to eat that we are obese, using food as comfort from the stress of our busy lives, and billions of people trying to survive on pennies a day.  Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have been born into a culture where anything is possible.  Even those of us who can barely make ends meet have the option of government support.  How terrifying must it be to wake up in the morning and not know how to feed yourself or your family?  To feel real hunger pangs, not just cravings for a Number Two with fries. 

I read an interesting statistic that stated "to satisfy the world's sanitation and food requirements would cost the U.S. $13 billion-what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year."  On fucking PERFUME.  Each YEAR.  How can we accept this?  No, I am not saying that it's the U.S.'s responsibility to feed the starving people of the world.  I'm saying that any decent human being in the world should want to do something about that statistic.  Little things matter if a lot of people do them.  If you have enough money to be shopping in a grocery store, you have enough money to buy an extra can or two of vegetables and donate it to a food shelter.  Donating a few dollars every now and then isn't going to make or break you.  Eat more meatless meals.  Conserve.

I could continue spewing facts, but instead I leave you with this- Remember how lucky you are.