I have always been a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Most of the time, when it’s something bad, I don’t want to believe it. I don’t understand why bad things happen to people, especially when they are good people. But I have learned that the world has a way of working itself out, one way or another.

I learned a lesson a few day ago about complaining. I know, I’m the last person that would ever learn about complaining. It’s one of the things I’m so good at doing. But I came upon a situation where I felt really bad.

My mom and brother were in Mexico for two weeks this month to visit our family and I was supposed to join them for a week. Unfortunately, the flights I was looking for wouldn’t have coordinated well and it would have essentially been a huge inconvenience to have someone come pick me up from the airport. I don’t trust anyone enough to not kidnap me if I were to take a taxi or a bus. I know the general direction of my grandma’s house but if someone told me they were taking me a different route, I would believe them, not knowing I was going to become beef stew in a few hours.

Anyway, I was speaking to a friend of mine and I was complaining more than usual because I wasn’t able to go to Mexico. My cousin’s baby was turning three years old and they were having a big party for her. It’s always been really sad to think of how many celebrations I have missed since moving from Mexico 23 years ago. My friend just so happens to be an immigrant from Mexico. Unlike me, she’s not a citizen and is just now starting the process of getting her green card. And who knows how long that will take. It could be years. She said something that really stung and I felt like a really big jerk. She said, “At least you have the opportunity to go.” Ouch. She hasn’t seen her family in 15 years since she moved to the U.S.

She wasn’t saying it to be mean or be hurtful, she just kind of pointed it out. And she did make a good point. Sure, I wasn’t able to go now but I could literally go at any time I pleased. I had nothing holding me back. It is sad I have missed so many celebrations but like she said, I have the opportunity to go if I really wanted to. I began thinking about what she said. A bad day or situation for one person, could be a great situation for someone else.

I realized that I need to be more thankful for opportunities that I have that others might not. I need to be more socially aware of my surroundings before complaining about something. One of my best friends lost his mom when we were 19. She was really sick a few years before and he would always tell me how hurtful it was to see or hear someone being mean to their mothers. At least they had a mother.

I think what the world needs more of is people to see what they have, and not what they don’t have. I’m guilty of doing that. It’s hard not to be down on ourselves when things don’t go the way we planned, but it’s how you think of things during the situation.

I got my first ticket and my first cavity all within a few months. I was really annoyed at both, but I definitely learned my lesson. I had to sit in a courtroom full of people. While I was annoyed that I had to sit there to get my ticket deferred, I did feel lucky that that’s all I was in there for, and I was at least lucky that I had dental insurance to cover my cavity.

The world can be a mean and unfair place, so at least try to make the best of what you have.