First world problems - Are that even problems?!

During our lifetime, we all come across good and bad times of our life. There are times, in which times we are happy and laugh a lot but there are also times, in which we feel down. Sometimes,  we have reasons for our emotions and sometimes we do slightly do not have any reason or cannot explain why we feel how we feel.

However, with everything going on around us, in the world, I was wondering whether I still have the right to feel down without any valid reason, even though I know that there are people who face even times which are way worse and to no extent comparable with my situation. For example, these people do not have enough to eat, no clean drinking water, their home was destroyed by a catastrophe or they need to fly home as their country is currently in a war. And then there is me, without any real worries as I have the luxury to have a roof over my head, enough to eat, clean water, good hygienic and medical care, the opportunity to follow high education programmes, feeling safe and endless more things. But of course not everything goes well and I also have bad days and face problems. Yet, am I even allowed to claim that not everything is going alright and that I have problems? Am I allowed to call my "problems" problems, when I know that there are people outside who have problems which seem more real or which are slightly bigger?


I do not know the answer to that question. Yet, I know that I should be thankful for my situation even though I did not actively work for it. I was just lucky to was born with privileges into that world. Further, I also know that I should not only be thankful for what I have but actively work on to make the world a better place. Especially, sometimes we see people suffering in the world but do not know to help them and feel powerless.

At the moment I see many posts which raise awarness on how we can help the people in need. For example, by demonstrating for peace, donating money or several goods or by opening our home to people. Personally, I think that all of that are good ideas and that it is important that we help the people in need and support them.

Yet, I am also worried about different things. How long will we think about their problems? How long will we help them? How long will we be open and listen to what they have to tell us? This is because I am afraid that we will forget their problems to easily and will just move on with our lives. Some may even pretend that nothing has happened. Now everything feels still so close to us as it is present in the news all day. Maybe also because as it is within Europe and we thus cannot just look away anymore. But we should remember that there are also other people who risk their life by demonstrating against their government or because they life in a country which is still faced by war. No matter where people come from we should stand together and help each other and help where we can. But most important we should not forget about them as remembering is important in order to not do the same mistakes again and to be aware about what is going on in the world right now. It also might be important as we have privileges and live in democracy - to be a role model and symbolize that peacefully living together is not impossible. To spread hope!

(PS: The picture is added as the world seems so small and different when looking onto it from above. Especially, a clear sight shows some peace and has its own magic.)