the American way

Sometimes we allow ourselves to be ignorant until a child speaks a truth and forces us to acknowledge the way things really are. Take the words of our 3.5-year-old daughter, S:

"When something breaks, we throw it away and go buy a new one!"

Hm. What is really sad about this statement is that in our household we try really hard not to do that. Our recycle bins seem to always be overflowing. While our neighbors' garbage cans often appear to be bursting, ours looks relatively empty. (We can skip a week of trash pick-up and it's usually no biggie.) We have a dishwasher and microwave that have seen better days, but they still work perfectly fine. Clothes get sent to resale shops or are turned into things like cleaning rags. Used paper is either recycled or turned into scratch paper for my list making or scribbling for the kids. Leftovers are a food staple.

But for all we try to do, I know it is nothing like what we experienced in Ethiopia. Food is served again and again until there is nothing left. Paper is precious and not many things come in the disposable variety. The idea that things are just thrown away without being used a gazillion times is unthinkable. I mean, you go out, buy a chicken, cut its head off, de-feather it, and cook it for dinner. There is no plastic wrap and foam tray to throw away, and you get more than just the drumsticks for your meal. This is how life is not just in Ethiopa but in most of the countries outside of the western world.

It all makes me pause and fills me with guilt.
It also tells me that there is more of their culture that we need to hold on to.