Letter: A lesson in gratitude

EDITOR,
What a wonderful article about Dr. Art Liu (“From beggar to doctor,” Page 9, July 13). I saw him just yesterday, walking on the street, smiling broadly and waving at a driver who stopped to let him cross the street. What I saw in him was something I rarely see in Americans today: genuine gratitude.
Many Americans really have no clue how the rest of the world lives. Imagine living on the street with nowhere to go, no bathroom, no school, no homeless center for a meal, no cellphone, no vehicle, no TV, no video games, no shoes on your feet, no pillow for your head, no hope for a future. Imagine not having a refrigerator, nor an air-conditioner. Try going to sleep hungry, not just one night, but many nights in a row. Try walking past people on the street who have had their hands cut off, eyes gouged out, tongues cut off by wartime brutalities. People all over the world are living under conditions most young, spoiled Americans know nothing about.
I cringe when I listen to a well-dressed person in the market checkout stand complaining about those “dirty” reusable bags. I am dismayed when I see a “beggar” on the street corner with his ever-present cigarettes and his cellphone. I am flabbergasted when someone complains that 10 cents for a bag is a “tax.” I just can’t believe the little inconsequential things people gripe about.
I do know one thing. This place called America is the best place I’ve ever lived, and I’ve lived and traveled in many other countries. People all over the world are dying for the privileges we enjoy here today. And one of the most fantastic privileges I’ve ever had was voting for my favorite candidate and not getting shot in the back on my way out of the building.
What a great place to be. I’d love to have a chat with Dr. Liu sometime; I’m sure he could teach me a lot more about genuine gratitude.
Julie Hendriks, Boulder Creek