Putting Things in Perspective

[Elaine]

If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like this:

There would be:

57 Asians

21 Europeans

(14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north & south)

8 Africans

52 people would be female

48 would be male

70 would be non-white

30 would be white

70 would be non-Christian

30 would be Christian

6 would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth (and all 6

would be from the U.S.

80 would live in substandard housing

70 would be unable to read

50 would suffer from malnutrition

1 would be near death;

1 would be near birth

1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education

1 would own a computer

A TAD MORE . . .

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed that three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare, even in the U.S. and Canada.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed, because most of us can, but few do. If you can hold someone's hand, hug them, or even touch them on the shoulder, you offer healing, and are therefore blessed. If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing because someone is thinking of you, and because two billion people in the world cannot read at all.

[Angie Daughter of Bill]

Thanks for sharing. I am certainly feeling blessed this morning. I hope you are too!

In my thoughts and prayers~~~

Angie

[Donna G]

Thanks. So often we ask for things or help, but so seldom we express the gratitude that we should. Thanks for reminding me how much I have to be thankful for. Donna G

[stand4hope]

WOW! Elaine, that was just wonderful. Thank you. I am blessed. Thank you, God!!

Love,

Peggy

[kimblanchard]

Gregg Easterbrook just wrote a great book along these lines: we in the US and western Europe live at such a high standard of living compared to the rest of the world and compared to history, and yet suffer higher rates of depression or ennui. A very interesting book, including the health benefits of gratitude. He is a fabulous author, and this is one of his best books.

Curtis

[Don Wood]

Right on, Elaine! Ironically, since Lucie was diagnosed with LC, we have come to know just how blessed we are. Not that we didn't know before, but we have no doubt about it now. Thanks for reminding us. Don

[Jana_W]

Wow! Thanks for posting that Elaine.

Jana

xxxx

[Nushka]

Thank you Elaine. Very interesting...and yes, I am blessed. For all of the reasons you listed and because I love deeply and feel loved back the same way. To me that is very important.

Thanks again,

Nina

[kimblanchard]

Good reminder. Thank you.