First world problems

The other day a friend on Facebook posted that she was looking for hotels for an upcoming vacation that were under $200 a night, preferably with a pool.
First world problem.

At first I judged, until the other day I was seriously coveting a Freecycle lamp. It would have matched our bedroom perfectly and would replace the desk lamp that currently serves as Geoff's bed side lamp (I'm really not a fan. It doesn't go with my decor). However, I didn't get it, and I was seriously disappointed. It's not often something truly perfect comes up on Freecycle.
First world problem.

When the iPhone came to Verizon, I desperately wanted one, but our contract wasn't due to be renewed until October. I did not want to wait until October for my iPhone. So I dragged Geoff into Verizon, and we discovered that by playing the system getting new, local numbers which we needed to do anyway, we could get the phones for $200 instead of the usual $400. The catch was, we couldn't get them right when they came out, so I had to wait until Geoff received an annual bonus at work, to get our phones.
First world problem.

Have you ever thought about how blessed we are to live in America? In a first world country? We may have our issues here, but the majority of Americans are able to go to bed at night in a secure house or apartment, feeding their family 3 meals a day, and paying their bills on time. Sure, there are still many in America who are have lost their homes, or who are struggling to pay the bills. In April, a tornado swept through Alabama, leaving many homeless. They are still struggling to recover, and will be for a long time.

We are taking a vacation to Hawaii for a week in February. By the time we go, we will have been saving for this trip for a year, but we will still be spending a lot on this trip. Enough that a small family could pay several month's rent. Or feed their family. Or pay a couple month's electric bills.

The other day I was lamenting the fact that we don't have the money to buy patio furniture right now. {It's something we're saving to buy.} How many people in this world don't even have an furniture at all?
When we went camping a few weeks ago, Geoff and I decided that our tent was more suited for one person than two. Knowing that growing up, my family had a nice sized 2 person tent that my sister and I used to sleep in, so I asked for it. Turns out my dad donated it a while back to an organization collecting things for Haiti. Now a family is living in that tiny (comparatively) tent.

I think I need the reminder sometimes, especially when I'm bemoaning the fact that I overslept and can't get coffee in the morning, that there are people out there, both in our country and in other countries, who don't have as much as I do. People who struggle every month to pay their basic bills, when we are able to pay the bills every month.

We may not have a lot, but we have a lot more than many people, and it's important to remember that, especially when you're feeling ungrateful.