In the spirit of Thanksgiving I wanted to share with you a powerful perspective on how Thankful we are to live in the country we do, even if the election didn’t go your way. Any who … I thought the excerpt below sent an important message that needed to be shared.
This is a really interesting way to put things in perspective.
If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following.
There would be:
- 57 Asians
- 21 Europeans
- 14 from the Western hemisphere, both north and south, and
- 8 Africans
- 52 would be female
- 48 would be male
- 70 would be non-white
- 30 would be white
- 70 would be non-Christian
- 30 would be Christian
- 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth and all 6 would be from the United States.
- 80 would live in substandard housing
- 70 would be unable to read
- 50 would suffer from malnutrition
- 1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
- 1 (Yes only 1) would have a college education
- 1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent. The following is also something to ponder… If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep … you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
No matter how tough things can get, there’s still plenty to be thankful for…
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Enjoy the Ride!
Life With The Top Down 
Yeah! Happy thanksgiving. Hey, do you get the computer or do I?
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Same to you! That would have to be settled in a rink of some sort…lol
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Happy Thanksgiving… yes we have a lot to be thankful for. I have good health, a computer and change in a bowl somewhere.
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Right back at ya! I probably have more in the change jar than I do in the checking account.
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Whoa. One computer. We really have a LOT to be thankful about.
Love this Thanksgiving post
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Thank you! It was certainly eye-opening to me.
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Wow, your chart of 100 really puts things in perspective – 1 computer, 80 people living in substandard housing, 70 people unable to read. We need to do something about this & we need to be thankful for what we already have.
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Someone sent this to my husband in an email and I was stunned. It’s mind blowing to me that in today’s day and age someone would not be able to read…that to me is very disappointing.
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always enjoy this perspective
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When you lay it out like this, yes we are indeed a most fortunate lot…
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and now I’m off to count my change 🙂
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Happy Thanksgiving to you!
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Unfortunately, I’m not at all shocked by these statistics. You would think with all of the advancements we have made as a race things would be different, but sadly the greed of a few ruin it for the many.
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Amen!
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What a powerful message, Tops. It gives all of us who have come to this site a wee bit of perspective. Because all of us can read, have enough to eat, have a fair bit of education. We are truly the lucky few.
Thanks for sharing this. Have wonderful Thanksgiving, Tops.
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I loved it! Have a Happy Thanksgiving as well : )
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Words of wisdom my friend!
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Reblogged this on benzeknees and commented:
I could not think of a better way to put this so I am re-blogging this wonderful post. It has given me so much to think about, a whole new perspective on the world I live in. I hope we can all give this a moment of thought over the holidays which are right around the corner & maybe include some “giving to those in need” a more serious look.
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Such a great post—came over from benzeknees and loved what you wrote. Gonna share it with my peeps!!!!
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I thought so to Beth. Someone sent it to my husband via an email and I was compelled to share. Thanks for stopping by.
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Definitely! So well written and expressed!
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Well-said – those powerful stats put life into perspective. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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Loved this…
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Reblogged this on fridaynightfamily and commented:
I was going to write something tonight as I sat down after my family left and tell you how really grateful I felt. My son was recently hit by a car and suffered some really scary side effects of a concussion. He went blind for a few hours a week after the accident and after seeming to feel fine. THIS was a shock of epic proportions. Someone I know and love is suffering and grappling with their humanity which makes our whole family suffer. I don’t really want to make public the other things that are going on as that would violate a trust the y have in me but I will say that no matter how bad or difficult, its all good in the end.
I got up this morning and I was alive and loved. My kids were happy for the holiday and to spend it with family. WE played BINGO for lottery cards (our Thanksgiving tradition ever since Uncle Vince and Aunt Joyce came to visit) and we walked away with a few bucks, lots of laughs and a great deal of gratitude in our hearts that we had each other today to feel safe and loved. I love this blog “Life with the top down” that always offers a slightly different spin on the perspective we all have on life. Her writing always makes me think and laugh, which is a much needed therapy. Tonights post however just made me think and I hope you will read and well,…think. I want to take the time to say think you for reading my blog and following, You may think you are getting something when you read it and there is no need to thank you but you give me purpose and for that I am grateful. Happy Thanksgiving, you are appreciated. ❤
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This certainly puts things into perspective. An eye opener.
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ciao! luvFAB blog.
thebestdressup
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Thank you for stopping by!
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Newcomer here at the recommendation of Carr Party of Five and Raising the Curtain. This particular post is very moving and truly condenses our world poverty and illiteracy into very simple picture. Many thanks for sharing this and I will definitely stop by again. Well done. BTG
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Thank you. I admit, the illiteracy really stunned me. It is very sad to imagine, with all the advances, someone still can not read.
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Hope you had a great holiday.
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Wow. I’m suddenly feeling guilty. But thanks for finding my blog, just the same…
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Wow, that really puts things into perspective. Wonderful that you shared it.
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Reblogged this on Life With The Top Down and commented:
Although this is from 3 years ago, I think it is more relevant today. Enjoy this Second Ride….
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Lisa, thanks for resharing this. It makes the big data more understandable and concerning. We should count our blessings more than we do. Happy thanksgiving . Keith
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A worthy reblog. I’m passing it on. Happy Thanksgiving.
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Thank you Ted! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
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What an amazing eye-opener this is! I am truly blessed and grateful for what I have. As crazy as our country is at the moment, just being born in the US gives us advantages that most of the world doesn’t have. We should never lose sight of this and never get too cocky that, somehow, all of our personal success was only because of what we’ve managed to do ourselves. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
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Truth bomb right there! Enjoy your day with family & friends.
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Hey! I already left the perfect comment😏. Happy Thanksgiving to you Tops. I remember this from before. Such a good way to place all our petty problems in perspective.
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