Letter to the editor: Count your blessings

Looking out upon our nation and world with all its problems, it is easy to give in to despair, anger and self-pity. I came across the following in my archives, which gives me a new perspective (I have lost the source). I offer it with the hope it will give readers a new perspective, too.

If you woke up this morning in good health, you are better off than 1 million people who won’t live through the week.

If you have never experienced the horror of war, the solitude of prison or the pain of torture, or were not close to death from starvation, you are better off than 500 million people.

If you can get to your place of worship without fear that someone will assault or kill you, then you are luckier than 3 billion (that’s right) people.

If you have a full fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are wealthier than 75% of the world’s people.

If you have money in the bank and in your wallet, and a few coins in your purse, you are one out of eight of the privileged few among 100 people of the world.

And if you can read this, you are blessed, because you are not one of the 2 billion people who cannot read.

So, as the old gospel song says, Count your many blessings, And sing like nobody is listening.

John R. Morrow

Bullskin