A few years ago I was visiting a friend who had recently returned to the U.S. after living in Bolivia for two years. I grabbed a banana from his kitchen, and realized after I peeled it open that it was a bit over ripe. By "a bit over ripe" I mean there were large brown sections. That's usually when I say "no, thanks" and chuck it in the garbage (let's ignore the fact that I didn't notice the banana was going soft and had brown spots on the outside to begin with). So I was about to toss the banana in the garbage when my friend stopped me and chastised me for throwing away "good" food (and I assume that by "good" food he meant "edible without throwing up") when there are people starving in other countries. I got his point, but still wouldn't eat it, so he grabbed the banana and stuffed it in his mouth so it wouldn't go to waste.
But this got me thinking about how much I take for granted. Running water (that won't get you sick), fresh produce (depending where you shop), carpeted floors, homes made out of more than sheet metal, meat as a regular part of my diet - these are norms here in the U.S., but people who are from developing countries or those who have at least visited such places know better. We have it good, and we need to remember to be grateful, even for things like rotten bananas. Other people aren't so lucky.
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