First World Struggles

“If you have much, give of your wealth; If you have little, give of your heart”

I saw on the news
another tragedy in a 3rd world country.
Tsunami, earthquake, cholera, destitution...you pick!
I know a celebrity telethon will follow.
Beautiful, freshly pulled celebrity faces
will appeal to me from my flat TV screen.
"Send money. Send help. Don't you have a soul?"
Flashes of war torn zones, starving children.
Meager huts ripped apart. Skinny cows.
All an intricate plot to tear at my purse strings.
They just don't understand!
Just because I'm not in a third world country,
doesn't mean I don't struggle too!
Rent is almost due on my 3 bedroom house,
nestled on a quiet street.
Sometimes my neighbors are too loud.
I have a slow leak in one of my tires,
on my environmentally conscious vehicle.
They just don't understand my first world struggles!
Times are tough; I have to buy store brands.
I had to cancel HBO and go to basic cable;
with HD channels of course,
otherwise what's the point of having an HDTV?
Christmas will be tight this year.
I can only afford $50 a person, instead of $100!
Doesn't anyone understand my first world struggles?
I see dilapidated huts flash across my screen.
I have house problems too!
My laptop is on the fritz.
My wireless router isn't syncing.
I have a leaky pipe in the kitchen.
My living room light switch needs to be replaced.
The knob on my bedroom door is funky.
The weather stripping on the front door
is leaking in the cold 48 degree weather.
Nobody gets my first world struggles!
Give. Give. Give.
Botoxed, celebrity, millionaire faces.
They tell me to give.
What can I give?
Student loans, credit card bills,
Christmas gifts, bar tabs.
Where can I fit in the third world in
with my first world struggles?
Little Monie's parents have died,
and only a dollar a day can help her survive.
I can't swing it Monie,
gotta to fill up my gas tank.
The commute to work is long.
Traffic is painful.
Monie doesn't get my first world struggles!
So I hear if I don't have money to give,
I can give time.
Time? Who has time??
I work 60 hours a week.
I'm putting on a show.
My friends need some of my time too.
Where in my ever busy schedule
do I have time for Monie?
I'm not completely heartless though.
In the spirit of the season,
as I walk past the Salvation Army bell ringer,
I will reach deep into my pockets
and put in what I can find.
As I drop my spare change in the bucket,
I will say a little prayer for Monie.
I'll say a prayer for myself too,
that my first world struggles
will be relieved,
so I can give more to the third world.
In the mean-time, back off my first world struggles!