We Are Lucky -- Warning: Depressing!

Maybe this should have been the content of my last post in conjunction with Thanksgiving, but after viewing a photo today on the internet, I felt compelled to say something about my lot in life and how lucky I am.

I've seen it before but it's been awhile, and maybe because I have a little girl now it's hit a little bit closer to home this time. Taken in 1994 by photojournalist Kevin Carter during the hunger crisis in Sudan, the photo shows a tiny little girl all alone literally crawling to a food camp while a vulture stalks behind her waiting for her to die of starvation. I have a lump in my throat just typing about it.

I immediately went over to Alessandra sleeping so peacefully in her Pack N Play with her big chubby, rosy cheeks, in her brand new outfit and thanked God for her, her health, and the things that we are able to provide to her. I had to snap a picture of her just then and there (above) because at that moment my heart was swelling with so much love and gratitude that I couldn't even stand it.

Whatever we money-grubbing, selfish Americans have to complain about is absolutely nothing in comparison to what others around the world have to deal with. Our economy is in shambles??? At least we HAVE an economy! And roofs over our heads and food to feed our tummies! We go out to eat and leave an entire meal's worth on the plate because we can't finish it! I am just as guilty of this as everyone else, and I need to be more conscious of it.

According to the article that I read, we don't know what became of the starving little girl. All we can hope is that she found warmth and comfort at some point since that tragic photo was taken. As for Kevin Carter, he committed suicide due to depression. We'll never know if there was any one picture that pushed him over the edge, but if all of his photos were this horrible, I'm not sure that I could run away from my thoughts either.