The 'putting your life into perspective' thread

[Earth-Angel]

This is a thread where you mention your biggest problem/fear/issue right now and then say something that is bad somewhere else in the world, to help put things into perspective.

Finish it off with a relevant quote, song lyrics or end note to remind you of something good that lifts your spirit or thinking of a solution to change either of the first 2.

I wish I could lose a little bit of weight.

Every 3 seconds, a child dies somewhere in the world needlessly.

"Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world"

Imagine - John Lennon

[MindCrime]

I fear my child has a disorder we haven't found out about as of yet.

Hurricane Isabel is hitting Baltimore & Washington D.C. pretty hard.

"We have nothing to fear, but fear itself"

~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

[Red Fish]

I'm not a millionaire.

"Screw the rules, I have money."

[Batman]

Whenever I have problems, I don't like to think to myself "people are dying in Africa, it could be worse." Because, well, it could ALWAYS be worse. And of course, it could always be better as well. However, I do have things put into perspective occasionally. Not in any major way, mind you. Just small occurences that remind me to take it easy. For instance, the other day I was really late to work. I was really stressed out, and driving really fast, but then I saw an ambulance drive by, and I thought to myself, "You know, that guy is in a much bigger hurry than me." So I did as everyone else did, and pulled over to let him pass, and then I just drove the speed limit the rest of the way to work. Once I got there, nobody even cared that I was really late and missed nearly half my shift.

[Farin]

sooner or later this song will get posted here, so I'll just do it now

Whenever life gets you down, Mrs. Brown,

And things seem hard or tough,

And people are stupid, obnoxious or daft,

And you feel that you've had quite eno-o-o-o-o-ough,

Just remember that you're standing on a planet that's evolving

And revolving at nine hundred miles an hour.

That's orbiting at ninety miles a second, so it's reckoned,

A sun that is the source of all our power.

The sun, and you and me, and all the stars that we can see,

Are moving at a million miles a day,

In an outer spiral arm, at forty thousand miles an hour,

Of a galaxy we call the Milky Way.

Our galaxy itself contains a hundred billion stars;

It's a hundred thousand light-years side to side;

It bulges in the middle sixteen thousand light-years thick,

But out by us it's just three thousand light-years wide.

We're thirty thousand light-years from Galactic Central Point,

We go 'round every two hundred million years;

And our galaxy itself is only one of millions of billions

In this amazing and expanding universe.

The universe itself keeps on expanding and expanding,

In all of the directions it can whiz;

As fast as it can go, the speed of light, you know,

Twelve million miles a minute and that's the fastest speed there is.

So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure,

How amazingly unlikely is your birth;

And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space,

'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth!

[Shawna]

Recently I had a cancer scare. The kind that was so scary that my doctor put me on valium because I was so hysterical. I checked out emotionally for 2 days. Then I went to New Orleans and saw the situation leftover from Katrina and realized that those people live like that every day of their lives. I decided if I had to have cancer, at least I have better living conditions while I am still drawing breath...

[Sweet Jane 61]

We've been really busy at work and I have been coming home very tired and stressed and sometimes my little angel lets the terrible 3's out when we get home and I think I wish I could just have peace and quiet for one evening. Then I see on the news still no word on the miners in Utah and know that their families would give anything to have a noisey hectic household again, so I hug my little one and thank God.

[edna]

Recently I had a cancer scare.

wow... I had melanoma 9 years ago. I still have it, it rarely leaves it seems. I just have to do some tests twice a year and things seem to be under control, though you can never tell. Now, I rarely think of it... only when I read the results of my tests...

My doctor gets mad at me when I tell him my cancer is a fake. But I have been in the hospitals and seen children´s oncology department, now that is the worse thing I´ve seen in my life. I lost someone I loved above everything in one of those hospitals, he wasn´t even 3 years old.

So even my stupid cancer isn´t a tragedy...

[Earth-Angel]

My neighbour's kids play loudly right outside my front yard and I can hear them all evening and weekend long.

The number of images of serious child abuse online has quadrupled over three years.

Let them play and be happy At least they are safe outside having fun.

[Jenny]

Whenever my daughter's sick and I get too worried, I think about a coworker and friend who has a son with Down's Syndrome and only last year (he's 5) got his tracheostomy tube removed. Also, my mother told me that a cousin of mine's son may have Muscular Dystrophy.

"If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, the what is the use of worrying?" - Shantideva

Edited August 20, 2007 by Guest

[Ombre Vivante]

From my perspective, things have to get better. Otherwise, I have no reason to look forward to what is going to happen next I also realise that I pretty much f****ng rule in every aspect of chillin' and kickin' back

[Uncle Joe]

I'm getting older and I guess that eventually I will be viewed as insignificant by our much younger family members. It's inevitable but I can't imagine being seen that way. I wonder how I'll react.

My brother was taken by cancer at the age of 50. So I'm already 11 years ahead of him. He never had to worry about getting old. He'd smack me in the head for thinking as I do.

"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many." ~Author Unknown

"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." ~John Barrymore

[phil]

Uncle Joe, You will never be viewed as insignificant to us. Plus, we Italians respect our elders. My Grandmother was a very wise woman and she taught me much about life.

[edna]

I'm getting older and I guess that eventually I will be viewed as insignificant by our much younger family members.

Oh, no, never!!! Maestro...

And if you mean your two little loves, I remember how much I admired my grandad so I don´t think it´ll happen either...

[RonJonSurfer]

I'm getting older and I guess that eventually I will be viewed as insignificant by our much younger family members. It's inevitable but I can't imagine being seen that way. I wonder how I'll react.

My brother was taken by cancer at the age of 50. So I'm already 11 years ahead of him. He never had to worry about getting old. He'd smack me in the head for thinking as I do.

Joe, I believe in the tradition of...and to honor your brother...you be smacking them in the heads if they dare view you as insignificant. I've found that it is hard to view a well placed crack to the back of the skull as anything but significant.

[Sweet Jane 61]

I was looking at my living room that looks like a tordano hit it after my daughter has been playing with her toys and think oh will my house ever be completly mess free....

Then I look at new pictures of the flood victims from here in town and the clean up and I see toys, photos, and memories all piled up in a muddy mess and feel for them with my heart and my messy living room just doesn't even compare to their losses.

[Sweet Jane 61]

I was/am upset over the attack on my opinions that I posted earlier today and it really bothered me....

Driving into town tonight I went down Main St which had been hit hard by the flood last week. And there was this little pizza business that has been there forever right on the river and the sign now says OPEN and the right underneath it says "We are Shelby", and that made me smile. We are small town America and we pulled together as a community. And that included people whose opinions may be different than someone elses. And I feel proud to be a part of a community so strong.

[Red Fish]

OH DEAR CRAP, MY OPINIONS ARE HURTING

[Sweet Jane 61]

OH DEAR CRAP, MY OPINIONS ARE HURTING

You know what that was uncalled for in this thread where we talk about things that make us realize we have a better life than most.

Grow up and learn how to be respectful.

[Red Fish]

We'll handle this in PMs.

[Earth-Angel]

I find it really difficult to accept a compliment. Not only because I doubt people's sincerity, but because I can't see the good bit that is being spoken about in myself.

So many people have friends, family and people in their lives who are always beating them down, criticising them and finding wrong in whatever they do.

It feels good to know I have friends who sincerely see those good qualities in me, and it feels nice to have people who care instead of curse. I am lucky

[TheLizard]

It's the second day of school, and I'm not having a good time of things. I keep getting screwed over and my friends aren't being supportive at all.

Then I come home from school, and my dog jumps all over me, and it really makes me feel better to know that at least there's one person (yes, she's a person) who I can count on no matter what.

[Uncle Joe]

Dogs are the best people in the world.

Tim, how are you getting screwed over?

[Levis]

Dogs should rule the world

[Farin]

nah, Cats are more intelligent - and our world would be much more hedonistic too