To A Good Life by: Mariza Date Posted: 08/04/2008 12:30 am

Maybe most of us are living the “good life” as we define it.

EVERY one deserves to a good life. This may not mean that one has to be born with a silver spoon in his/ her mouth but with the fact that one could enjoy the simple pleasures of life like playing, having healthy food to eat, good education, a family and a place to call home. Each of us might have our own description of the words in mind. Yours may be different from mine. I associate “good life” with shopping, good food, coffee and night outs. For me, these words mean being able to meet all my needs, satisfy some of my wants and enjoy a few luxuries.

Maybe most of us are living the “good life” as we define it. Unfortunately, not everybody is as lucky as you and me. While some of us don’t have to worry about tomorrow, many can’t sleep worrying how to survive the day ahead. Hundreds of children and youth like us, don’t enjoy the same luxuries. Many youths, if not wearing themselves out to earn some money, are in jail or in civic institutions because of petty crimes and engaging in illegal drug use and worse, prostitution. Children, way much younger than you and me, are already working for a living instead of playing and enjoying their childhood. Their families are no better off than them. Life for these people is a struggle--- an endless search for money, comfort, and happiness. For them, night is no different from the day. So while we drink our hearts out and party all night, they “kill” themselves just to survive!

We are not doing anything wrong and we are not doing something, either. I am not insinuating that we should put a halt to our lives or would I blame them ,their parents, or anybody for their situation. The widespread problem of poverty is crippling not only our country but other countries near and far. Yes, we’ve got company. This is an indication that poverty chooses no sect, color, or race. This is not good news ladies and gentlemen. It is true that we are not the only country facing this kind of problem. But this doesn’t change the fact that many of our fellow countrymen are suffering from it.

You might not have a vivid image of the kind of poverty this article is talking about. Picture it this way. Imagine yourself skipping a meal. Easy, right? I, too, skip meals. But imagine yourself eating only one meal for the day or not eating at all, not because you don’t want to but because there is no money to buy anything to fill your empty stomach. You could already hear it growling in protest. Or maybe having a plateful of food on the table and at the same time sharing it with twelve other people besides yourself! You felt as if it has not even reached your throat. This time, imagine yourself begging for food from strangers. If they’re kind enough to give you any, then you’re lucky. You won’t be hearing from your stomach for a while. Come to think of it. Your very existence is in the hands of complete strangers. Then you come to realize its scary! Not only that! Have you noticed those who sleep on pavements because they have nowhere to go home to? Definitely you have seen much of them. I see them often.

Get the picture now? You might ask, do these really happen in our country? Are they for real? I’ve asked these questions myself. I tell you, nevertheless, they are true! Poverty is not new to us! We’ve seen these things. But have we really looked and paid any attention to it or are we just too busy looking after ourselves that we haven’t noticed? You might be wondering, what’s in it for us? So what if they’re plagued with such an adversary? We don’t get to suffer with them nor it is our fault, so why bother? Then I tell you that, the world is round. Allow me to say this. Our existence in this world is transient. We just got lucky. The next time, we might not. When that time comes, its good to know that there are people ready to lend us a helping hand.

We are just very lucky to be who and where we are right now. We are so much blessed. I just hope that we would use our blessings to bless others, for these are not for ourselves alone. Blessings lose their meaning when they are not shared. These people need help! We don’t have to be someone who is very wealthy or a politician to be able to help. Help can come in our own little way! We may not be able to let them experience our own definition of the “good life”, but we might give them theirs. For every soul is entitled to it!