An Interesting Conversation

As I flew home tonight I found myself in the middle of such an interesting conversation. The gentleman sitting beside me was probably close to 50. He was telling me about his family and somehow we stumbled into the gas crises that is currently hindering our world. Come to find out, he is an electrical engineer working in Spartanburg. He has been doing research on the world's energy consumption. The more he spoke of his research, the more fascinated I became. He was speaking about how we, as Americans, have not really increased the amount of energy that we consume each year. However, the more populated, poorer countries that have historically used less energy, are beginning to use more and more. He stated that this was due to the desire to have the "American" lifestyle...the lifestyle where things are easier and more accessible.

I have been thinking about how easy the "American" lifestyle is. Would things be different in current America if everything had not been so "easy"? After all, my generation is the generation of immediate gratification. I don't know what it is like to wonder if I will eat any more than rice each day or if my parents will have enough money to send me to school so that I have an education. There is so much that I have taken for granted that my parents so readily and lovingly provided. The security of a meal each night. The warmth of a bath...even when I didn't want to take one...a mattress and pillow to sleep on every night. All of these provisions became expectations of what is normal. What if I didn't have all of those things...how different would my life have been? Would I have been motivated to strive for more? Would I have even known that there was more?

As I ponder the great luxuries that became everyday expectations growing up, I am struck by how limited my view of what "real" life is all about. How fortunate I have been to have my most basic needs met...and how quickly I would surely parish had they not been. I am thankful to have grown up with the "American" lifestyle, but convicted of how much I have taken for granted. I am rambling on and on...just thought that I would share my thoughts....