People often say, "Never forget where you came from..."
My response to that, "Oh, trust me, I never will."
So the photos above are what I remember of my childhood living in poverty-stricken slums back in my home country, having very little, and surviving on basically nothing. It helps me put things into perspective at how far my family and I have come. I'm still amazed at how we lived back then. We moved a lot and sometimes it wasn't as bad as this. But it's because of those hardship memories that I've come to be extremely grateful for what I have now. I often look back at the photos and sometimes browse the web and reminisce so that I can become humbled and thankful. I think I'm blessed to come from such a background and to be able to take all that with me today and say that I once lived a life like that...taking showers outside, walking around barefooted because we couldn't afford shoes, living in shelters that could be blown away in a matter of minutes. If you had a childhood like that, then you know what I'm talking about.
Since it's the month of thanksgiving, I thought I'd mention my upbringing and be thankful for all that I have now. I have my health, which is essential to everything that I care for and value, this includes providing for my loved ones. Coming from a country with no "Obamacare" or any type of affordable health care for that matter- it's amazing to me that I have a good bill of health. I have shelter that is secured in the ground with foundation. I don't have to worry that it's going to disappear when the next hurricane or monsoon arrives. I am safe and secure and just that alone is enough.
I am thankful that I no longer have to bathe outside with just a bucket and some "un-fresh" water. I now have warm bath water and can unclothe in the privacy of my own bathroom. And I can put on clean clothes smelling of Downy laundry freshener and have ample shoes to choose from.
Realizing that I have a lot more than I did- I whine a lot less, I'm grateful for a lot more, and take life as a blessing whatever the circumstance.
