PRIVILEGE

We sit there, pulling faces 
And groaning at the fact that we
”Don’t have enough gym class”
We seem unable to imagine life without it.
But somewhere out there
Are children to whom gym class is so rare 
That it does not come up in their wildest daydreams
Because they can’t go to school.

I shudder at the idea
Of not having my own room
And not having a place to go away to.
But somewhere out there
Are people who have never even dreamed
Of having a house
Because they live on the streets.

I roll my eyes when my parents say
”We’re going for a family walk in our woods now”
I’d much rather just listen to music.
But somewhere out there
Are people who cannot comprehend the notion
Of having their own backyard forest
And who would do anything
ANYTHING
To see their families again.

When I was little
I didn’t understand how privileged I am.
Some people would do whatever it takes
To send their children to a private school
And to always have enough to eat.
When I meet people like this
I try to smile in sympathy
Try to say that I get it 
But I can see the looks on their faces 
We both know that really
I don’t understand at all.