Are You Thankful?

Sumber:kclau.com
-by JACQUELYN
It is very easy to get caught up with our obsession on money. Everything that we do or decide is somehow related to our finances. For example, can we afford a detached house or a terrace house? Can we go overseas for a vacation or just a simple trip within the country? Can we afford to eat out everyday or just once a month? Even a simple decision like what to eat for lunch today means determining how much money you are willing to spend.

Hence, it is no wonder that everyone is so focus and busy on achieving a certain level of wealth as everything seems to cost money. In the pursuit of personal wealth, it is very easy to be angry and unhappy when we think about what we do not have or what we have not achieved yet. Consequently, we forget to be thankful for what we have at the present moment.

Some things to be thankful for

Below is a set of questions to ask yourself and if you answer “yes” to some of them, then you should have something to be thankful for. In those areas, you are more fortunate compared to a lot of other people.

• Can you afford to buy food on a daily basis to ensure that you do not go hungry? About one sixth of the people on earth (~ 1 billion) suffer from continual hunger.

• Can you afford USD2.50 for your daily sustenance? According to the World Bank, about half of the world’s population survives on less than USD2.50 a day.

• Do you have clean water to drink everyday? About 1.2 billion people do not have access to a clean water source according to the World Bank.

• Do you know how to read and enjoy the full benefits of that important skill? According to a UNICEF report, about 1 billion people entering the 21st century do not know how to read or even sign their names.

• Do you possess you own home or are you able to pay the monthly mortgage without worry? In the US, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported that one in eight households was either facing foreclosure or in default in the second part of 2009.

• Can you settle your credit cart debt in full every month? About 60% of Americans carry a balance every month according to a Federal Reserve survey which is a cause of constant worry.

In addition to the above, we Malaysians have a lot of other things we can be thankful for like living in a peaceful and beautiful country. We also have easy access to a reasonable healthcare and education system. In personal life, you can be thankful for your health, your loved ones and your good friends. Once in awhile, give yourself a break and just appreciate what you have now.