Someone Always Has It Worse

At one of the darkest times in my life I ran across a picture in a newspaper very similar to this one. Moved by what it spoke to me, I cut it out and hung it on the bulletin board in my kitchen where I would see it every day.  It gave me the perspective I needed at that time in my life. 

You see, my life hadn't turned out the way I expected, and I was tempted to wallow in self pity, dwelling on what had gone wrong in my life, rather than what was still going right.  I realized soon enough that self pity is a lonely walk down a dead end street.  It gets you nowhere. 

The woman in this picture probably had to collect sticks for firewood to heat her humble home, and to prepare hot meals for her family.  It looks like back-breaking work.  All I had to do for heat was flip a switch on the thermostat or the stove, and show up to work every day in my clean, air-conditioned office to keep that privilege.

Like many women in impoverished countries, she may have lost her husband in a civil war, or her children from lack of proper medical care.  She carries this burden of survival alone.  As for me, I still had friends and family that loved me, prayed for me and were willing to share my burdens.   I realized how much I was blessed with and then chose to dwell on those things.

Now, dwelling on the good is not to deny the bad exists.  Some people are annoyed or even hurt by phrases like "Oh well, look on the bright side", and that's because there is an appropriate time for saying things like that.  If someone is still pulling the dagger out of their heart and bleeding all over the place, they just need some comfort and a listening ear.   Mourn with those who mourn.    There's a proverb that says something like "singing songs to a heavy heart is like pouring vinegar on a wound".    But when the time is right, a wise friend will help you count your blessings and find your flip-side.