Today I woke up with the question, “What can I get for $1 today in the U.S.?” It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s so much more than many people have right now. Like the man down the street who sits on the corner every weekday with a sign that says, “Need Food.” The sign has changed over the past six months. When I first spotted him, his sign said, “Out of Work. Need Money.” Now, as the economy has gotten worse and jobs have gotten scarcer, he just needs the basics. Food. Water. Maybe shelter. I’m not sure he even has that. It looks like he’s living out of his backpack. For that man, a dollar could mean the difference between eating today or not. For people living in developing countries, a buck can mean two or three meals for an entire family.
Still, in the Western world, a single dollar can still buy more than we think. For instance, it can buy:
These seem like minor things, but the fact that I have them available to me in my local neighborhood seems major compared to what’s available in other places. It makes me thankful that I was born in a country that offers such luxuries and that I can enjoy them for so little, relatively speaking. Of course, the things that mean the most don’t cost a dime:
Today I feel gratitude that I have that dollar. Maybe it’s the season or maybe it’s being in the U.S. Maybe it’s both. In a world that seems so often filled with anger, frustration and fear, it feels good to know what to value and to feel grateful for what I have. So now, in this moment, I’m taking the time to say thanks.
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