As we go through our day to day lives, it is easy to think our way of life is normal – even expected and demanded. It is easy to think we have it harder than most people and to focus all of our attention on our needs, but our way of life is not the norm. The majority of the world deals with things on a daily basis that we can’t even begin to understand. Sometimes when I’m feeling selfish or even in a bad mood, changing my perspective and being grateful for what I have instead of lusting for more makes all the difference. That doesn’t mean that we should feel ashamed that we’ve been blessed, but that we become aware of the poverty, homelessness, and world hunger that is taking place around the world. It means changing our limited view and getting a change of perspective. Hope this poem inspires you. Thanks!
A Change of Perspective
As I wake up on my soft, comfortable bed,
Another wakes to a stiff, sore back
From spending another night stretched out upon the ground.
As I get up and take my hot shower,
Another walks miles to gather putrid water
To soothe their dry, cracked lips.
As I pour my coffee and don’t think twice
About throwing my leftovers away,
Another searches desperately for table scraps
To keep their starving child alive one more day.
As I wander the darkness under the roof
Of my home and in the coziness of heat,
Another shivers unceasingly in the night
Without any cover from the elements.
As I drive to work and complain
When traffic keeps me from driving over fifty,
Another walks miles without shoes on their feet.
As I upgrade my big screen TV a few more inches,
Another must work like a dog for years
To earn the cost of my “necessity”.
As I gather to visit with my family,
Another visits theirs next to a tombstone
Because their wasn’t even money to treat
Their young child’s preventable disease.
As I worry about football scores,
Job promotions, and weekend plans,
Another worries about how they’ll find
Their next meal and stay alive.
As I contemplate holiday getaways
And vacation plans,
Another doesn’t know the meaning of the word.
As I walk free and don’t see the blessing
Of living in the United States,
Another lives as a slave, voice mute out of fear.
As I complain about my life and how bad I have it,
Another and 99% of the rest of the world
Deal with circumstances worse than mine.
Maybe it’s time
For a change of perspective.
– Poem Written By Justin Farley
Soul Notes – Poems and Reflections
If you’re searching for meaning in a world that feels too busy, too loud, too dominated by endless scrolling, Soul Notes is a place to feel heard. A few times a month, I send reflections on nature, mental health, and spirituality. Words to carry with you.
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