How A Child Taught Me Gratitude
I was once feeling upset and dissatisfied with life about five years ago. Distraught for no clear reason, I left home on my motorcycle, barely aware of the traffic around me. As I rode, I noticed a boy, around twelve or thirteen, crying on the street. I parked my bike to check if I could help.
“What happened?” I asked. He replied, “I lost my weekly salary and have been searching for it for the past three hours but still can’t find it.”
I admit my first thought was skepticism. Scams that prey on kind-hearted people aren’t uncommon in Egypt, so I feared this might be one of them. I held back from offering help, yet, after asking him some questions, I learned that he worked at a small workshop. His weekly salary was around 300 Egyptian Pounds (about $17 back then). I suggested he might need to give up searching, which only made him cry harder. He explained he was the family’s breadwinner and that his family relied on that money to get by.
The more we talked, the clearer it became he wasn’t lying. When I offered him money, he refused, thanking me politely before returning to his search. I got back on my motorcycle and found myself overwhelmed with emotion, crying right there in the street. I thought, How ungrateful am I, to feel so sad over trivial things? How could I complain about my easy life while this child works hard all week for money I’d spend without a second thought?
The memory of that boy still brings tears to my eyes, reminding me to be grateful. I hope he’s doing well and believe he’ll grow into a resilient man, able to face life’s challenges.
Always remember there are millions, if not billions, of people who would dream of having even half of what you do. They long for a home like yours, a job like yours, and a family like yours. Be grateful for everything you have and thank God for all the blessings in your life. Recognizing these blessings and appreciating them is, in itself, a gift.