I am the 1%

So I was walking out of an office supply store yesterday (can't list the name because its not the one I work at...lol), and I saw a car with a baby shade that said "I am the 99%."  I find it sad that people here are claiming to be part of that 99%, when in reality they are far wealthier than most people in the world.

I say I am the 1% because I make more than $35k a year.  With the average person in the world making less than $3 a day, I become that 1%.

As I think about it, I am again troubled at how often we complain about what is going on in our lives or what we have to deal with, when in reality we have it easy.  Most Americans have it easy.

I couldn't imagine living on less than $3 a day, not knowing where my next meal is going to come from, or wondering if one of my kids would die from the only water we had to drink.

I'll admit, I've never been a big advocate for social justice.  Sure I believe in it, but it isn't something I always think about it.  When I do though, its ever so humbling.  It's so easy to get caught up in what we want and forget about those who have nothing.

 I heard on the Wally show this morning, that for $125 a family in another country can have water for a life time.  For $12,000 they will build a well in a community that can serve over 500 people for the rest of their lives.  For many of these communities this is all they need to survive.  They work hard; they have most of their other basic needs; and for many of them they are just praying that they someday get water.

So in reality, for less than a third of what I make a year, I could change 500 people's lives forever.  What if we all took opportunities like this?  How much of a difference could we really make in the world?  Could it be that we are so wrapped up in ourselves and dealing with our daily complaints that we forget our complaints are like grains of sand compared to the mountains that stand in the way of so many being able to just survive.

I am the 1% and I am somewhat ashamed by it.

You know that well I was speaking of....click the image below to find out more information and donate.