No matter what my problems may be, it's easy to still feel fortunate. I have an incredible wife, family, and friends. I have the old, historic house I've always dreamed of. I have heat in the cold of winter. I have a lot to feel very fortunate about. The list goes on and on and on.
It only takes a trip out of the house to realize how many in this world struggle to get by, even in our ideallic heart of Amish country.
Yesterday we hit the butcher shop and the grocery store for our two-week supply of food. When we went into the grocery store I saw what looked like a homeless couple. I watched as they manned two motorized carts that the store provides for handicapped people.
Their clothing was a collage of mixed rags, dirty layered clothes. I can't imagine they've had a shower or bath in days, or weeks. They looked very, very rough.
As we went through the store we'd run into them again and again. As we finished and reached the checkout, they passed close to us.
I noticed that they did not look like they really needed the motorized carts. They looked tired. But they did not look handicapped. Then I noticed that in the hour that they had been scooting around the store they had not picked out one item.
Then it hit me. They needed to stay warm. They probably had done this before. It was 22-degrees yesterday morning, bitter cold. Not only did the grocery store offer warmth, but they had the neat motorized carts so they didn't have to be on their feet the whole time. They could stay in the store until someone noticed and complained. And then depending on the interaction of management they could decide whether or not to buy a pack of gum and be on their way to the next warm store.
No matter what malody you may personally be experiencing. There is still someone suffering worse. As I've said many times before, I may have cancer, but there are small children dealing with cancer too. In the big picture I'm a fortunate guy.
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