Being Grateful
It's sad how we complain, yet we have so much, and people halfway across the world, who are barely surviving, are grateful for everything that comes their way.
In 2016, I travelled to Pakistan with a charity, to visit schools and talk to orphans studying at these sponsored schools. This trip honestly made me realise there's a bigger picture in life. Whilst I'm whining because I think I don't have enough clothes (I do), or because I don't like the food my mum has made, there are kids out there, who are younger than me, working at sweatshops, being abused, living on the dirty streets, starving to death, the list goes on.
I don't think we realise just how privileged we are. We have a fridge full of food, a bed to keep us warm, a running tap where we can drink water from, a house, clothes, jobs, schools, restaurants, money. Our blessings are countless. Despite having all of this, why do we still fail to thank God?
Why do we ignore Him, and only call unto Him when we need Him? That's just disloyal. Shouldn't we be constantly thanking Him? After all, it is He who has given us our blessed lives.
While I was out in Pakistan, I talked to a few girls who are the same age as me, currently studying at a sponsored school. One girl told me she wants to be a teacher when she's older. Another told me she wants become a doctor. And Aqsa told me it's her dream to become a pilot one day. This really amazed me. These girls have such high hopes for the future. They're ambitions, and their dreams really mean something. They want to help people, teach people, take people places. I feel so glad to know that the charity Read Foundation are providing a safe environment for them to learn, and more importantly, they're giving them an education. With an education they'll be able to turn their lives around for the better. They'll be lifted out of the cycle of poverty, and with an education, they'll be able to stand on their own two feet. I really pray that these girls achieve their goals, because they deserve the world. When I was talking to them (via my broken Urdu), they were extremely polite, and you could see from the way they were, what humble and kind-hearted young ladies they are. I asked one girl what her usual every day routine was. She told me she comes to school, and then goes home and does all the chores of the house. She must be roughly 12. Then she helps her mother to make dinner for the family. Then she helps clean up, does her homework and sleeps. To add to that, every student I talked to, were quick to tell me how much they enjoy school. They love it. They're eager to learn English, to learn about the world, and to learn about different cultures. And all any of us are interested in, are materialistic things.
Most of us have been born into a family that is able to provide for our every need. And most of us live in countries where education is provided. We have everything. If we need a new coat, new shoes, a new bag, we're usually able to buy these things easily.
But unfortunately, there are kids who walk for miles on end, with no shoes to protect their feet. No coat to protect them from the weather. Their feet become blistered and swollen, and their bodies shiver constantly.
See now that I've realised just how lucky I am, things like buying new shoes or having a bed to sleep in at night, means a lot to me. And I try to remember to not take things for granted. I try to be grateful. Then again, that is difficult to do, because of the society we live in. People HAVE to post a picture of the designer bag they recently purchased, or they HAVE to let everyone know how much fun they're having on holiday. Nowadays, it's a must to show the world your elaborate lifestyle. And it's not like celebrities make it any easier. Their perfect lifestyles that they portray online, is what drives people to boast about every little thing.
'I'm going to Dubai in the summer, I can't wait it's going to be so fun, we're staying at said hotel.' And so on and so on. What if there's someone who's being dying to go on holiday? Maybe they've never been abroad. It's fine to post a few pictures, but boasting about the amazing hotel you stayed at, or how you had the best time of your life, is mean. You may not mean it, but subconsciously you could be making someone very jealous. Just something to keep in mind, for the future. And look at your current feed on Instagram. My teacher advised me to do this: Look at your feed very carefully. If it's full of posts based on money, and clothes, and holidays, think about changing your feed.
Please pray that every kid out there who is deprived of an education, is one day able to attend school, and accomplish their dreams.
In 2016, I travelled to Pakistan with a charity, to visit schools and talk to orphans studying at these sponsored schools. This trip honestly made me realise there's a bigger picture in life. Whilst I'm whining because I think I don't have enough clothes (I do), or because I don't like the food my mum has made, there are kids out there, who are younger than me, working at sweatshops, being abused, living on the dirty streets, starving to death, the list goes on.
I don't think we realise just how privileged we are. We have a fridge full of food, a bed to keep us warm, a running tap where we can drink water from, a house, clothes, jobs, schools, restaurants, money. Our blessings are countless. Despite having all of this, why do we still fail to thank God?
Why do we ignore Him, and only call unto Him when we need Him? That's just disloyal. Shouldn't we be constantly thanking Him? After all, it is He who has given us our blessed lives.
While I was out in Pakistan, I talked to a few girls who are the same age as me, currently studying at a sponsored school. One girl told me she wants to be a teacher when she's older. Another told me she wants become a doctor. And Aqsa told me it's her dream to become a pilot one day. This really amazed me. These girls have such high hopes for the future. They're ambitions, and their dreams really mean something. They want to help people, teach people, take people places. I feel so glad to know that the charity Read Foundation are providing a safe environment for them to learn, and more importantly, they're giving them an education. With an education they'll be able to turn their lives around for the better. They'll be lifted out of the cycle of poverty, and with an education, they'll be able to stand on their own two feet. I really pray that these girls achieve their goals, because they deserve the world. When I was talking to them (via my broken Urdu), they were extremely polite, and you could see from the way they were, what humble and kind-hearted young ladies they are. I asked one girl what her usual every day routine was. She told me she comes to school, and then goes home and does all the chores of the house. She must be roughly 12. Then she helps her mother to make dinner for the family. Then she helps clean up, does her homework and sleeps. To add to that, every student I talked to, were quick to tell me how much they enjoy school. They love it. They're eager to learn English, to learn about the world, and to learn about different cultures. And all any of us are interested in, are materialistic things.
Most of us have been born into a family that is able to provide for our every need. And most of us live in countries where education is provided. We have everything. If we need a new coat, new shoes, a new bag, we're usually able to buy these things easily.
But unfortunately, there are kids who walk for miles on end, with no shoes to protect their feet. No coat to protect them from the weather. Their feet become blistered and swollen, and their bodies shiver constantly.
See now that I've realised just how lucky I am, things like buying new shoes or having a bed to sleep in at night, means a lot to me. And I try to remember to not take things for granted. I try to be grateful. Then again, that is difficult to do, because of the society we live in. People HAVE to post a picture of the designer bag they recently purchased, or they HAVE to let everyone know how much fun they're having on holiday. Nowadays, it's a must to show the world your elaborate lifestyle. And it's not like celebrities make it any easier. Their perfect lifestyles that they portray online, is what drives people to boast about every little thing.
'I'm going to Dubai in the summer, I can't wait it's going to be so fun, we're staying at said hotel.' And so on and so on. What if there's someone who's being dying to go on holiday? Maybe they've never been abroad. It's fine to post a few pictures, but boasting about the amazing hotel you stayed at, or how you had the best time of your life, is mean. You may not mean it, but subconsciously you could be making someone very jealous. Just something to keep in mind, for the future. And look at your current feed on Instagram. My teacher advised me to do this: Look at your feed very carefully. If it's full of posts based on money, and clothes, and holidays, think about changing your feed.
Please pray that every kid out there who is deprived of an education, is one day able to attend school, and accomplish their dreams.
👌👌👌👌
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