By Bennett Fuson
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Think back to this time last year. What was on your mind?

Most likely, you were thinking about finals or the holidays, although in this city I’ve noticed that “thinking about the holidays” is a fancy way of saying “how much stuff will I get?” 

Now reflect on your thoughts for this holiday season. Most people are still “thinking about the holidays,” but I say that with a grain of salt. Everybody with a functioning brain and the ability to communicate knows that this holiday season comes with a pretty large price tag: the debt of all the hardships, both domestic and foreign, that we’ve faced over the past 12 months.

Let’s face it: some of us will get everything we want over the holidays. But there are others whose parents have lost their jobs or who have lost jobs themselves because of the current economic situation. As much as we try to ignore it, there is still economic unrest in the blue and gold suburb.

In this situation, we have three options. One: we ignore the situation, like we seem to do for every bad thing that happens around us, because by God, it’s the American Way! Two: we recognize that our economy is shot, feel bad about it and spend our time wishing for the good old days. Three: we recognize that our economy is shot, but instead of moping, reflect on every good thing that we have going for us. Now, which option sounds best to you?

I spent a week this summer working in and around New York City with the city’s homeless population. Or so I thought. Although a lot of the people I served were in fact homeless, a significant number of them had a job or a home or both. The truth of the magnitude of this situation is that they and thousands of others across the country cannot afford even the most basic amenities of life, even while working two jobs. Yet no one that I met complained about their hardships. Instead, they took whatever I happened to give them (which was, more often than enough, not enough) and were genuinely grateful for what they had.

Wrap your heads around that statement for a second. These people worked their butts off to stay alive with minimal results, yet were overjoyed by a flimsy paper plate with donated green beans on it. Although I am ashamed to admit it (both as a girthy figure and an affluent citizen), I have taken for granted most of my meals, let alone green beans, and I know for a fact that I’m not alone.

This is a state of mind that I think everyone should adapt. However, this is wishful thinking. I know that some of us won’t truly be “happy” unless we get that new iPhone/Gucci purse/private island. But I do think that it’s not out of the question for us to take a minute, especially this time of year, and realize that what we have, no matter what that is, is a helluva lot better than nothing at all.