Wednesday, October 29, 2008

My life of luxury

lux⋅u⋅ry 1. a material object, service, etc., conducive to sumptuous living, usually a delicacy, elegance, or refinement of living rather than a necessity

I've been realizing during this past year that I do truly live a life of luxury. Though I live near the very bottom of the middle class, and often want much more than I have for myself and for others, I'm starting to see how the things I claim as "rights" or necessities for myself other Americans aren't quite all that. I need food, clothes, and some shelter. Yet I have all of this, and a lot more.

1. I can have more than one child. If I lived in China, debates on pro-life/choice would be a moot point.
2. My daughters can go to school. In Afghanistan, they might not ever learn to read, let alone make it to college and beyond. Never mind me working outside the home.
3. I have time and space to "build a strong marriage". In many other countries, I might share this same sized house with many, many family members.
4. I can live across the country, and yet see my family every year. Even a hundred fifty years ago, to marry an adventuresome husband might have taken me across the ocean or country forever, never to see my family again.
5. I can vote. Not until 1920 could American women vote, and those who earned us the "right" were beaten, imprisoned, called insane.

I could go on and on. One of my favorite quotes sums up my conclusion -

"O Thou who has given us so much, mercifully grant us one thing more - a thankful heart." George Herbert

What luxurious privilege are YOU thankful for today? I'd love to hear...

5 comments:

Don said...

Music, entertainment (TV and computers), dining out, instantaneous communication, and electric lighting. Sweet luxuries, not to mention refrigeration.

Jenn said...

i am realizing too as of late how much we have to be thankful for. im always reminding myself that sometimes its the little things that i take for granted that i need to be more thankful for!

Anonymous said...

like it, love it, love it! you summed up the best in your list. i guess i'm thankful for a heater, a hot water heater, and flannel sheets. not 1000 thread count kind but luxuries when in a frozen tundra! course, I'm thankful for relationships that make life so sweet!

That's Not My Name said...

aww this most made me smile. :-)

I hope you know who this is, hehehe

joanna said...

One more teeny tiny luxury, blog comments :).