Have you ever thought about average? The average American eats 2700 calories and throws away another 1000 a day, one person is born in the US an average of 8 seconds, the average American driver has 1.2 cars. How about more serious ones... the average American income is nearly 200 times that of Sierra Leone, the average US marriage lasts less than 8 years, the average American takes 7.5 medications spending a total of $200 billion, a child under 5 in Afghanistan is 32 times more likely to die than one in the US, I used 15 times more water today than a person in a developing country; however, only 40% of the developing country's water is potable which really translates into me using ~38 times more potable water; to boot, some of my water had to be purified via the most stringent filtration method THEN had minerals added back in to suit my taste and all that for less than a quarter a bottle.
Here's the truth, you are average. You are not above average, nor are you below. You may make more money than average, you may stay married longer than most, you may take less meds, and always have food in your belly, but there are other columns that bring you back to average. Take me for example, I may make more money than most people, but I pollute more than most people. I may have a sense of complacency, but I can find myself disconnected from friends by not investing time into those relationships.
So why do we feel special? Why are we somehow entitled to more and better? Why do I feel like I'm not talking to me? Why do you feel like I'm not talking to you? =)
Satiety, not in that funny phoenetic way, but in that realization that where you are at is good. Know why? Because average is good. How happy are you? Did you know that paraplegics rank more happy than normal Americans? Let me rephrase, paraplegics are happier than average. I have no idea why, but it says something about envy.
Let me ask a question, what makes you happy? Is it your good job, your 2.5 kids, that big TV receiving the Bengals in High Def? So if having that is your happiness, can someone who is homeless, child barren, or without electricity be happy? My opinion is that Christ came for everyone, not just overly blessed me, not just me a fortunate birth in well-to-do capitalist society. I'm not different than someone in Sierra Leone. Knowing THAT is to understand being Average. Also, tell me if you lost what you had, say because China calls in the US debt or you lose your job because your industry is slowing or a loved one passes on or a car accident disables you or terrorists make 20 million people on the West coast homeless because of dirty bomb, would you still be happy? Where do you hold your happiness? I'd like to think my happiness is in spite of my circumstances not because of them; though I admit to falling short on that every time I get disillusioned. What about you?
5 comments:
I heard this song the other day and I think it really fits...
There's Hope lyrics by India Arie.
(Verse 1):
Back when I had a little
I thought that I needed a lot
A little was over rated,
but a lot was a little too complicated
You see-Zero didn't satisfy me
A million didn't make me happy
That's when I learned a lesson
That it's all about your perception
Hey-are you a papa or a superstar
So you act, so you feel, so you are
It ain't about the size of your car
It's about the size of the faith in your heart
(Chorus)
There's hope
It doesn't cost a thing to smile
You don't have to pay to laugh
You better thank God for that
(repeat)
There's hope
(Verse 2):
Off in the back country of Brazil
A met a young brotha that made me feel
That I could accomplish anything.
You see just like me he wanted to sing
He had no windows and no doors
He lived a simple life and was extremely poor
On top of all of that he had no eye sight,
but that didn't keep him from seein' the light
He said, what's it like in the USA,
and all I did was complain
He said-living here is Paradise
He taught me paradise in in your mind
You know that
(Chorus)
(Bridge):
Every time I turn on the T.V. (There's Hope)
Somebody's acting crazy (There's Hope)
If you let it, it will drive you crazy (There's Hope)
but I'm takin' back my power today (There's Hope)
Gas prices they just keep on rising (There's Hope)
The government they keep on lying
but we gotta keep on surviving
Keep living our truth and do the best we can do
(Chorus)
Stand up for your rights (echo)
Keep shining your light (echo)
And show the world your smile (echo)
Bravo. We are all average in some form of measurement. Its all man made. (average and mathmatics)what makes us all above average is our connection to God.
I really enjoyed the most recent blog. It's amazing how much stuff we take for granted in the US and how stinking greedy we are when we think we need more and/or deserve more. When we finally get more, it does satisfy the greed, it's only a temporary buzz that wears off quickly when the next must-have item hits the market. A mission trip is always good to open your eyes to how the rest of the world lives and to truly understand the difference between wants and needs and how blessed we are.
I heard or read one time that happiness is about your circumstances and joy is in spite of your circumstances based on your faith.
Thanks for the input. I like how you liken the consumerism aspect of that discussion to a drug habit.
Well said.
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