Not that Bad

The happiest people don't have everything they just make the best of what they have. I must have seen this somewhere on a social media site and the more I read this the more this picture starts to make sense to me. I took this picture during a trip to the rural part of Liberia while undertaking an After-school activities center. I do not remember the name of the child in the picture, but I remembered how happy he was that day.  The entire last day I spent in the village, this child was dragging this "toy car" around everywhere he went. To think that it is not even a real toy car makes for an even more fun scene. His older brother manged to put together what looks to him like a car from pieces of sticks and that was all he needed to be happy that day. When it was time to eat and all the kids were running home, this guy just stood alone on the field as I took this photo. He had no intention of leaving or putting an end to his play time. I just admired his happy spirits and attitude towards his toy. I started to think about my childhood and how privilege I was without even knowing it. Sometimes it takes other people problems to see your blessings. It is not always a good thing to compare your hard times with other people because you never know their actual story, but you have to be grateful- ALWAYS. 

 We get too caught up in a world of overnight success. We are fixated on disappearing stories that we forget our own real stories.  I just had a really long work day and started going through my photos when I came across this photo. I had been frustrated about dealing with incompetent people who continuously accept mediocrity as a norm. I began to reflect on my own life story. I thought I'd share how happy this child was and he didn't even half of what I had today despite my complaints. At some point, I even began to wish I could share in his happiness, but then I remember my own story; God has been good to me. I went from unemployment to being an employer. I am grateful. It took this single photo to remind me that my story could be a testimony to someone. I will be writing that soon....

Until then, I hope this photo reminds us all to appreciate the little we have and count each day as a blessing. It is never as bad as it seems....