Making the Best of Unfortunate Situations

Place yourself in an unfortunate situation. It may be receiving poor grades, getting a traffic ticket, losing a parent, or living in not much more than a shack. Around the world, a great number of people live their lives in rough conditions due to income or natural disaster. Depending on what is considered a “good” or “bad” life, a number of people seem to make the best of unfortunate situations.

At the start of summer last year, I took part in a school mission trip to Jamaica. Beforehand, I mentally prepared myself for the living conditions that I would observe throughout the week; however, I did not expect the Jamaican people to actually survive in such a state of devastation mentally, emotionally, and physically. Coming from an American home where everything that I need is within my reach, rather than the stress of finding food and shelter for the day, made me question the Jamaican people’s happiness.

Near the end of our mission trip, my group and I ventured to a nearby grocery store to purchase foods and personal items for those in need. We gathered onto our bus with handfuls of bags and traveled toward our destination. If an individual did not recognize the conditions in which poverty-stricken men, women, and children live, the smell that comes from their homes explains it all. When we arrived at the location, I fully understood the reason and importance of why I joined the mission. The moment I stepped off the bus, I focused on the Jamaican people’s faces. I suppose I expected to see thin faces with no expressions because of their hard lives, however, the exact opposite happened. I looked into thin faces, but with smiles. These men, women, and children not only seemed overjoyed with the fact that my group and I arrived to help them, but appeared to be in high spirits. Knowing that the Jamaican people did not have many possessions, they had each other. How could these men, women, and children have even a glimpse of happiness?

On the plane ride home, I contemplated my mission trip. After sifting through all of the enjoyable and memorable experiences, I was drawn to the Jamaican people themselves. I was brought back to the questioning of their happiness and tried to find the answer. I found it. I believe that people such as these make the best of unfortunate situations. Observing the lives of Jamaican people versus the lives of American people confirms my appreciation for life rather than my possessions. An individual does not seem to value what he or she has until it is gone. What is considered an unfortunate event will vary greatly, but it is up to the individual to make the best of every situation.