Are we blind to our privilege?

Photo by Ahmed akacha at Pexels

Yahvi Khimasia explores how gratitude transforms frustration into deeper appreciation

I’m too tired to go to school today.
She wakes up at 4 am to walk miles to get there.

I don’t feel like what mum has made for dinner.
She goes to sleep on an empty stomach.

I ignore the pile of homework on my desk.
She does hers on the floor by candlelight.

I complain about Netflix not loading in the evening.
She puts her younger brother to bed, soothing him to sleep.

In a place of privilege, we have begun to take what we have for granted. In moments of frustration, it is important to acknowledge that millions of people only dream of the lives we live, and although it is only natural to complain sometimes, gratitude is a vital quality to possess.

According to the Human Development Reports, over one billion people worldwide living in acute poverty, with more than half of them being children. Understanding this reality can help us reframe our perspective and give us a clearer appreciation of our own lives.

I often find myself grumbling about things that, in hindsight, I shouldn’t. Whilst my emotions are only human, I can’t help but feel guilty when I see the lives of people who are less privileged than me; be it on social media or even in real life.

Having holidayed in Nairobi, Kenya, where much of my family live, I felt this unfair sense of inequality the strongest. Whilst we wandered through shopping malls and dined in restaurants, it was impossible to repress guilt seeing such poverty. Malnourished children, parents working from dawn until dusk and shoddily built homes filled our surroundings.

Maybe it’s ignorance. Maybe we need to see such a stark contrast in living standards to appreciate our own lives. It’s easy to forget how fortunate we are until confronted with such stark inequality. It reminds us that gratitude isn’t just about what we have, but about recognising the disparity and striving to make a difference.