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31 Things to Be Grateful for If you Live in the Developed World

So many of us are experiencing new heights of irritation with and alienation from our own nation’s government. But consider this an opportunity to shift our eyes in gratitude.

When I’m struggling to feel content here, I think of my African friends’ perspectives on just what abundance we drink in every day.

Today’s and tomorrow’s posts, rather than reinforcing the misguided, often arrogant notion that developing-world countries are horrible places to live, are simply invitations to be grateful with me about what we have…but generally did not create for ourselves.

We stand on the shoulders of so many who provide remarkable services for us that make our lives more comfortable, self-actualized, free from pain, convenient, and easy. Far from positioning us as superior, these gifts humble me. 

Want to be thankful with me?

For what do you have that you did not receive?

-the apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:7

1. Clean water that doesn’t make you sick.
2. Indoor heating/cooling.
3. A dishwasher.
4. A flushing toilet.
5. Access to quality medical care.
6. Access to immunizations.
7. Considerably less petty theft.
8. A refrigerator.
9. Access to a college education.
10. A long projected lifespan.
11. A car, and affordable access to gasoline.
12. Dental care.
13. Education about hygiene.
14. A law system that actively prosecutes corruption.
15. Paved roads.
16. Policemen who enforce laws.
17. Education about first aid.
18. Access to counseling and mental health services.
19. A shower.
20. Home protection against disease-carrying pests.
21. Access to trash collection and recycling.
22. A washing machine and dryer.
23. More food than you need.
24. Available public education.
25. Education about nutrition.
26. Books; libraries.
27. Access to birth control.
28. A thriving economy.
29. Access to the internet.
30. Growing levels of justice for women, minorities, and the poor.
31. Literacy.

31 More Things to Be thankful for if You Live in the Developed World

1. Freedom of religion.
2. Eyeglasses or contacts.
3. Peace and political stability. You are not a refugee, on the run from war or as an enemy of the state.
4. Abundant opportunities in the arts.
5. A governmental system of checks and balances.
6. Education for girls.
7. Free press.
8. The ability to sleep at night without fear.
9. Taking a vacation.
10. Access to a computer and computer skills.
11. Owning a pet.
12. The ability to speak, read, and write a widely-known language.
13. A comfortable mattress.
14. That most do not feel the need to take the law into their own hands.
15. Flying on an airplane.
16. Life expectancy beyond age 50.
17. Laws that ban cruel and unusual punishment.
18. A home with a floor.
19. The ability to choose a spouse.
20. Term limits for government officials.
21. Excess resources to pursue physical fitness.
22. The ability to choose a job.
23. That a child dying is an anomaly.
24. Access to orthodontics.
25. Relative control over the AIDS epidemic.
26. Rich benefits you personally enjoy from tax dollars.
27. A community park, playground, and/or swimming pool.
28. A relatively trustworthy voting system.
29. Virtual eradication of malaria, typhoid, cholera, dengue fever, yellow fever, ebola, and other major diseases.
30. Watching a movie in the theater.
31. Exposure to other cultures.

Like these lists? You might like 

• 28 Signs I Might Be Living Overseas
• 3 Reasons I Welcome Refugees (and 3 Ways You Can, Too)
• My #Blessed Life? On Developing-World Countries the American Dream
• Gifts that Remain: Life Lessons for Keeps from Africa