I'm back home. What a trip to Brazil! It shook up how I feel about the things in my life.
When we were taking the bus back to the airport, we passed people who were living in squalor. Their homes were tiny and had no front doors. It was cold and pouring rain, soaking the things they were trying to air dry. I'm certain the people didn't have heat. The outside of their homes were dirty.
It made me appreciate having a warm and dry place to live. It made me grateful I have privacy. I woke up to valuing the basics. My experience is it's easy to take housing, warmth and safety for granted. They are always there. But without any of these, my sense of stability would be shaken.
Right now I'm sitting and typing on my bed. I feel rich!
Although it was only a small gesture, my heart felt even richer when I decided to give my scarf away in the Sao Paulo airport. It's winter down there, and many people are cold. The scarf wasn't my favorite anymore, so it was easy. My girlfriend found someone to give her scarf to as well, both recipients were grateful...but the experience of giving was a huge energy boost for both of us.