I live an extremely privileged life. I have opportunities that the majority of kids in the world can only dream of having. A good home, a good family, a good school, a good life. Even when I go through a rough time, I’ve never had it too bad. When I struggle, I struggle with primarily personal problems. I can only imagine how much more difficult it is for kids who are struggling to survive and having to deal with any mental or emotional strain on top of that. I’m lucky. I have it pretty good. If I need help, I can get help. There’s no reason for me to feel truly lost or alone.

I have a family to support me. I have two parents, which is more than some can say. My father has a wealthy job that more than provides for us, and he ensures that I, and my siblings, will have a future. My mother works hard to keep the house running; she is there for me when I need her. My older brother only occasionally gets on my nerves, and he is otherwise very pleasant to be around. My twin will always be there for me, a permanent friend that will never be able to get rid of me, even if we do disagree sometimes. I don’t have very close friends, but I’m happy with the few that I have. I’m content with where I stand in terms of that.

I wouldn’t say it’s easy to forget how privileged my life is, it’s more like it’s easy to overlook. There have been many times when I speak to other people and I find myself a little stunned at how turbulent their life is. It makes me almost self-conscious about my privileges. Sometimes I will say something and worry about how it makes me sound. Was that rude? Was that insensitive? Was that hurtful? I can’t help but question myself. It’s not as though I mean to be so ignorant.

I want to learn from other people. I want to hear about their unique lives. There are things that other people experience that I will never be able to experience. All I can do is hope that I will be open enough to understand. Not everyone is as lucky as I. While I’m extremely content to remain in this bubble, I also desire to branch out. There is much wisdom to be found in the words of others, even if those others are just as naive as me. To call someone truly wise is paradoxical; there is no such thing as being truly wise. Wisdom is something humans can only reach for, but it is untouchable. No matter how much I learn or hear or see or experience, I will always be nothing more than a simple fool.

Sure, there are artificial ways for me to break away from this sheltered community– books being the most prominent example that comes to mind– but it’s still just that: artificial. As I draw closer to the day when I will leave the nest (until I crawl back into it during the summer), I find an undercurrent of wonder blooming just below the tumultuous ocean of uncertainty. This will be my opportunity to experience new things. While I’ve gained much wisdom in my years spent here, there are still plenty of things to be gleaned from the world outside.

It was dumb luck that dropped me into this family– into this life. I appreciate everything that I have, and I greedily desire to gain more in knowledge and understanding. There are so many horrible and beautiful things in this world, and I have yet to experience the majority of it. I hope that others can share some of their wisdom with me.