After sending out over 200 resumes and getting no response, in
a moment of quiet desperation, a young woman named Vicki Harrison ended her life. I was devastated to read about this poor girl's tragic
end, and yet, I could empathize. I too have been sending resumes out for three
years, and have not gotten one response. I’ve owned a national company, have
run 2 nonprofits, spent ten years teaching arts workshops, published a book,
and yet, I can’t get a job. My husband’s income alone is supporting our family
of five. Insurance is nearly capsizing us (health, car, homeowners, fire,
flood, life). There are many days I feel overwhelmed and hopeless.
But what I remind myself every day, and wish I could have
told young Vicki, is that in comparison to the rest of the world, we are incredibly wealthy and blessed. It's only our perspective that is lacking.
Living in America or any westernized country, its easy to
get caught up in that keeping-up-with-the-Joneses thing. We are blasted with
advertising every second of the day, subtly persuaded to believe that we are not
enough without that car, that flat screen TV, that newest model of
iPhone/computer/iPad, anti-aging-anti-cellulite-anti-everything cream…You're not enough, not enough, not enough. You don't have enough: food, things, money...
Here’s the thing. All of this is an illusion. Step out of
westernized thinking and culture for a minute, and consider the way the rest of
the world lives. Here's why you and I are some of the richest people in the world:
Do you own a car? If so, consider yourself one of the elite.
Less than 9% of the world owns a car.
Do you own a computer? Have internet access? Only 22% of
world population has access to the internet, and many of those do not
personally own a computer.
Do you have running water? More than one billion people
globally lack access to safe drinking water.
Let’s bring it back to just America:
Do you make $33,000 or more annually? If so, you are in the
top 50% of wage earners in the United States. According to the Census Bureau,
the median income for an American family of three is a total 52K.
14% of Americans are living below poverty level- an income
of less than $22,000 for a family of four. (Globally, 2.8 billion people survive on less than $2 a
day)
So take heart, and count your blessings. Yes, we’re in a recession. Yes, it
is really, really hard to find a job. And yes, many of us are making less now that we did in previous years. But in the eyes of most people in this
world, we are rich beyond their wildest imaginings.
Any of these people would love to trade places with us.
A perspective of lack and hopelessness ended Vicki Harrison's life. She
had enough to live on, and family and friends to support her.
Eventually, she would have found a job -- in fact, it could have been
resume #201.
For more perspective, here's a great article:
and: WorldWatch.org
A good reminder. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI need the reminder most of all!
DeleteHollye - SO TRUE! It is incredibly difficult finding a job. But after two long term layoffs, I finally landed a great paying position with a fantastic law firm and am making more than I ever expected. I am SO GRATEFUL. Truly grateful. And you are absolutely right. Compared to the rest of the world, Americans are EXTREMELY fortunate. You CANNOT go hungry in the USA. My husband would give me this talk every time I started whining about my lack of success in finding a job. His father literally walked here from Mexico when he was 16. Started working as a migrant field worker and then got into construction. He got his citizenship and worked 6 days a week because where he came from, work was a blessing. Great post Hollye. And I will say a special prayer for Vicki. I know how it feels to lose hope ... poor thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm saying a prayer for her and her family, too. What a sad, unnecessary loss.
DeleteAnd yes, we are so lucky, and it is such a twisted perception we have. Only in America are so many poor people obese. We are brainwashed into always thinking we need more, more, more. It's crazy.