I once took a trip to Caracas, Venezuela. Beautiful land, yet I have never seen so many people in need as I did there: people living in shacks on mud hills, not being able to eat for long periods of time, wearing the same clothes day after day, and not ever being able to take showers to clean themselves. That trip made me realize all the things I have that I take for granted. Just the luxuries of having clean sheets to sleep on every night, or even having clothes to sleep in for that matter, are some of the things we take for granted. I do not know how much it would mean to me if I lost those things in life. Everyone hates it when the power goes out during a storm, I know I do. Just imagine living without power, running water, or even a roof over your head for your entire life. That is the most devastating way of life, yet there are thousands of people that live like that everyday and the number increases by the hundreds every hour.
Now, I know that not everyone can hop on a plane and take a trip to Caracas and miraculously realize what he or she takes for granted, so I had to think of another way to deal with my pet peeve. I thought of high school and all those community service hours that I preformed (a total of over 500 hours all four years). Suddenly, the effect those few hours had on me seemed like the best way to make people realize that no matter how bad they think they have it, there is always someone worse off than they are. Homelessness, for example, is a major problem in our country and in many other countries for that matter, but actually realizing the effects of homelessness is not the best way to demolish vainness in people. If you have ever been to a hospital in the cancer wing, you will find some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Most of those people do not have that long to live, yet for some reason they are appreciative for every last thing that they have, no matter how miniscule it may be.
