Monday, June 03, 2013

Putting Problems Into Perspective

I try not to be one of those old people who always talks about their medical issues. The truth is, however, that I have two chronic health issues. I have been dealing with one or both of them for about 30 years. At time I find it emotionally and physically exhausting to deal with them. Every day of my life I have to think about them and make choices that affect them. Today I have a routine doctor appointment so I was thinking about my health on the way to work, maybe feeling a little sorry for myself, as well as preparing myself mentally for a lecture from my doctor about how I need to manage my health better. Lost in these thoughts I was walking from the parking garage to my office when I saw two homeless men in the park adjacent to my office building. As soon as I saw them I stopped thinking about myself and I began thinking of how tough it must be to be homeless. My personal problems seem rather petty compared to their daily struggles to simply survive life on the streets. Let’s be honest. We all have problems and challenges in our lives. Some are big but most are simply inconveniences. My health issues are real but they are manageable. There is even some good in my issues because they have forced me to be more health conscious. In spite of them I still have a very good life. I drive a nice car and I live in a beautiful home. I am not on the streets wondering when my next meal will come or where I will sleep tonight.  Sometimes we need to put our problems into persepctive to realize how lucky we are.



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