I hadn’t really thought about this

About personal growth and compassion being a privilege

But it truly is

I hadn’t thought that being able to make the choice to eat more responsibly, look after myself, my family and my surroundings

To make ethical choices where the environment is concerned

Is a privilege

Elsewhere in the world people cannot think beyond survival

They don’t care what they eat – just that they have food

Elsewhere, people are holding down jobs and working crazy hours just to put food on the table – the cheapest food that they can find

Vegan

Carnivore

Omni

Paleo

Keto

Wtf ? They just want something in their stomach

Elsewhere people don’t have jobs and are raiding garbage bins

Or eating out of tins from charity shops

They don’t care about the environment or that there is too much plastic wrapping on everything

They don’t get to worry about climate change

Because they are too cold, too hot, not hydrated enough because they live in the open, without a house, or a safe bed for the night

Elsewhere in the world people can’t read

Or even if they can they don’t have access to books or can’t afford them

Elsewhere… is everywhere and sometimes it’s as close as that person walking beside me in the supermarket, their trolley full of processed food and crap

And I make a judgement in my head about how they are feeding their children, themselves

Tut tut – how unhealthy all that white bread and sugary coke is …

Or I used to, I certainly don’t anymore.

And that in itself is a blessing – to be less judgemental

How privileged I am to be able to have a more informed and broader view of the world

To read books

Listen to podcasts

Have interests that extend beyond survival and seeking comfort and relief to education

Growth

Health

The environment

And greater ideals that I strive (and often fail) to hold myself to but I continue to try again

Because I know better and aim to do and be better

And I am truly grateful for this ability every time I download a book or listen to a podcast or watch a documentary

Blessed

Just so damn blessed

And I am grateful

And gratitude is one of the most powerful states of consciousness to abide in

Yet here is the most ironic twist

Some of the poorest people in the world naturally get this

And they are happy and content

And some of the richest and most privileged people forget this and they are sad

So I thought I would share

Because either way

It’s a timely reminder and a shift that we can make

Any second