First World Pains

A few months ago I came across a topic trending on Twitter:  firstworldpains.  It was funny, poignant, challenging, and quirky, all at the same time.  People tweeted about things that bugged them, while at the same time realising that these things are the annoyances of luxury — “pains” that can only exist when all our basic needs are taken care of.

Here are some examples:

• “I really want a new cell phone, but my current contract still has ten months left .”
• “When microsoft word throws up a grammar error but doesn’t show an alternative”
• “I filled my water bottle then left it in the kitchen and now i dont feel like going to get it.”

I like this topic because I, like many others, find it all too easy to complain (in my head, at least, if not out loud) at things that, frankly, most of the people in the world would LOVE to be able to complain about (e.g. if my computer is too slow it’s because I’m  rich enough to own one, and if the line at the grocery store is too slow at least I’m rich enough to buy food).

I’m thinking about this because we’re getting our kitchen renovated.  We moved into our condo in September 2010 when we moved to Toronto, and we knew that we wanted to renovate our kitchen so that there was enough counter space for both of us to work in it so that it’d be easier to have more people over for meals.  But now, as the work goes on, it means that we don’t have a functioning kitchen, meaning that we are consigned to microwavable foods and sandwiches and the goodwill of others who invite us over for dinner (hint, hint).

I’m thinking about this because CBM’s Project of the Month is “Food Security”.  Food security is about helping people get to the place where they can provide enough food for themselves on a sustainable basis — it’s about moving past “food aid” and towards sustainable food security.

Having a non-functioning kitchen (temporarily) is definitely in the category of a “First World Pain”.  It does not mean that we won’t have enough food to eat.  I guess this is a good time for me to reflect on the reality that 1 billion people in the world have a non-functioning kitchen in the sense that they don’t have assurance that they’ll have enough to eat tomorrow.

This is a growing emphasis for us at CBM.  If you want to find out more, click here:  http://www.cbmin.org/cbm/PotM

And . . . if you want to invite us over for dinner, just give me a call.  🙂