Privilege

The other day I was driving, and as I was driving my nice newish car (which I bought new) I was thinking about the holiday we had decided to take. After Christmas, we want to take the kids up to see snow, and decided on a small town in North Carolina.

Somehow, my mind clicked over to my own childhood. There were a lot of bad parts but there were a fair amount of good parts too. However, we lived very small and were pretty low on means most of the time. I don't really remember wanting for anything toy-wise, and I had a bike and one year I remember having one of those little trampolines. I grew up fine, and mostly knew the value of a dollar (except when I, like all other college students, got in a mild amount of credit card debt and also didn't know how balance my checkbook).

I remember thinking, when I decided to go to the local university (which was the only college I applied to because I had scholarships but couldn't afford room and board if I went away to school) - I remember thinking how far the drive was. It was 50 minutes each way, and took me from my little suburb into the big scary city. My mom warned me about the big scary city, but now I live there and have for ten years.

Anyhow, all of this is to say that as I was thinking about how my children are growing up, and all the privilege they have that I didn't even think possible, didn't even know I was missing. They've been to six states, on an airplane, on car trips. We are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but we are comfortable. They have it good. I hadn't left the state until junior year of high school with my marching band. I hadn't been on an airplane until my senior year of high school (also with the band). I still haven't been out of the country, I don't even have a passport (one of these days). My kids go to Disney nearly every single weekend - every weekend! When I think of this, sometimes it blows my mind. Every cotton pickin' weekend! I went to Disney once when I was four or so, and for my ninth birthday I went to Epcot.

I hope I am able to instill in my children how good they have it. I hope I can show them that they are privileged and to be generous to others. I want to raise generous souls.


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