Haiti just lost 100,000 people to a catastrophic earthquake. Stunning news, and so terrible, particularly given the challenges they face helping themselves. They can’t recover without tremendous international financial and logistical support. Haiti is already one of the poorest nations of the western hemisphere and has suffered political strife and natural disasters we Americans can hardly fathom. It serves as yet another example of how fortunate we are, as individuals, to be living in the US.
Haiti is not unusual around the world. Millions live on island nations that suffer similar calamities. Then there are all those who suffer poverty and war in African nations, as well as those unfortunate to live under communist regimes and dictators, and not to mention the challenges of living in the desert regions of the Middle East under religious madmen and factional governments! Add it all up and we would appear to be greatly outnumbered! Though perhaps not technically true, the odds of being born to the US and the “western” world seem slight. Disasters like Haiti just suffered bring that to light for me. I appreciate every day the blessings we have. Yes, certainly we have problems. Poverty, drug abuse, remaining racism (though generally greatly reduced from years ago), weak educational systems where excellence is perhaps most needed, and crime, often so horrible we wonder how humans can devise such heinous acts. And yet America remains the Land of the Free, a place where millions seek escape from the strife around the world to have a chance to live a meaningful existence, if not just a safe one.
But we (Americans) generally take it for granted. Somehow we “deserve” it. Big, flat-panel TVs with rich (some might say wasteful!) programming, Starbucks always within arm’s reach, and a Wal-mart in every community. Facebook rules the day. We just presume that’s what life is. But it's not. We have the best of the best, and available to just about everyone. I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy. Yes, it would be ideal if everyone had EQUAL access to the fruits of our society, but at least here, everyone has OPPORTUNITY to access the fruits generated by a great nation. When our kids are surrounded by this stuff every day, and are bombarded with marketing messages by the thousands, its hard for them to put our state of riches in perspective. Most don’t realize what a gift we have been given by our forefathers, maintained by our heroes of today, who have literally given their lives, limbs and blood to provide and protect all that we have.
All this is a roundabout way to say that we are LUCKY! We are the beneficiaries of others’ hard work and sacrifice. Don’t take our place in the world for granted. Celebrate our ability to earn, produce, provide, and learn!
There is a trigger point for our kids to begin that celebration. It comes on their 18th birthday. Two major “rights” become available on that day - the right to vote and the ability to open an IRA. Both are significant in their own way. I don’t yet know whether my oldest daughter will share my political views, but that’s not important. I vote in every election I can, local, state and national, because I not only believe that is our duty, but I feel empowered. I love to celebrate my ability to have a say in what happens in our country, no matter how small a role I play. I want my daughter (all my kids) to recognize how lucky we ALL are. We can control our destiny by participating in our political system and by taking the appropriate steps to ensure our financial security. Both are critical in order to pass our blessings on to our children and grandchildren.
So at the first opportunity, coming up in just a matter of weeks, I will take my daughter to our town hall to register to vote, and to a bank to open an IRA, with the hope that she will understand the good fortune that has been given to her by so many, and the power she has to control her own destiny and positively impact those around her. God bless America!
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