With all of the destruction and devastation that has been occurring throughout the world as of late, I have been taking time to think about all of the things in my own life that I am incredibly lucky to have.
Sadly, it sometimes takes disasters such as Hurricane Harvey and Irma to make me stop and think about the things I may take for granted every single day.
I am lucky enough to not have close family living in either of the affected areas, but my heart goes out to my fellow classmates who are going through a hard time due to the storms.
I have been following the news of the hurricanes, as many others have, and I can feel nothing but gratitude for not being in the same situation.
I wish that it did not take news like this for many of us to take a step back from our everyday lives, and think about how lucky we really are.
One thing I have been thinking about recently is how lucky I am to be able to have all of my family members and friends in one general place.
I do not think I could stand not knowing if a member of my family was OK or not during something as devastating as the recent hurricanes.
I also feel extremely lucky to always have a place to live and call home.
This is something I think many of us take for granted because, for most of us, it’s all we have ever known. Some of the victims of the storms have sadly been left homeless.
They have lost everything except for the clothes on their backs.
They have lost precious belongings, memories and lifetimes of hard work.
I am grateful that I have never had to go through what the victims have gone through. I have never had to prepare for a disaster that could ultimately change my life.
I am lucky enough to have never been unsure if I would have a place to sleep at night, or have a meal when I am hungry.
Lastly, I am grateful to be living in a place where we reach out to help each other in times of need.
I have seen multiple charities raising money for the victims who have lost everything in the last few weeks.
Hearing stories of hope can really bring light to a situation this tragic.
I believe there is always light at the end of the tunnel, and seeing that there are so many people willing to help each other during this time is incredible in my eyes.
It is important that we come together to keep the victims of these tragedies in our thoughts, and try to help out as much as we can.
Remember to take a moment to think about all of the things in your life that you are grateful for and continue to appreciate the little things. It is impossible to know if those things may be taken away one day.
HARLEE BOEHM
