A Moment of Epiphany by Zeenat

We always take things for granted and do not realise how lucky we are to have what we have in this life whether it be material things or luxuries or people who mean so much to us. It seems we always crave for more and once we get there, the cycle of needing more keeps on escalating.

On my last trip to Fiji with my family, I saw and felt something that I had never experienced before. Although I had heard about people living in poverty and seen it on television so many times before it doesn't compare to when you see it with your own eyes. Staying in resorts and islands is very exotic and fun but there was another side of paradise that is not so obvious.

My parents wanted to show us their old schools and also where they lived before. While we were driving to my dad's old village, I saw this boy who was probably as old as my sister taking water and heading towards some sugar cane fields. He had no shoes and was wearing very old clothes. What shocked me even more was his house because it was so tiny and rusty and looked like a very old shed. The boy seemed to be smiling and happy.

When we passed my dad's old primary school, we slowed down and were greeted with lot of smiling, happy children running around and playing. They did not seem to have any proper sports equipment or facilities but it seemed as if they had a lot of spirit and enthusiasm. I quietly thought about my school and all the things we have to play with during lunch time breaks. Another incident occurred where a little boy who was limping was selling peanuts and was urging people to buy from him saying his mother was sick and he needed money. Although we helped him that day, I felt horrible thinking how he would survive in the future. Yet, these children have the spirit to go on and often achieve things that no one would have thought would be possible. I realised that happiness doesn't come from having "more of everything" but finding satisfaction in what you have and being grateful as there are so many people in this world who don't even have the basics. As Mrs Brown says, we can look at things from the perspective of either half glass full or half empty; it is how you choose to view things in your life that matters.