I have to change the world.

Why do I get to have so much while other people have less than nothing? I saw this quote the other day:

"If you have the great luck of having health, education, and family and you live in a democracy, the world is all yours."

Reading that and thinking about it made me so emotional. It's 100% true. 

Health-wise, what is the worst thing that has ever happened to me? I can't even think of anything. I hurt my arm one time. I had the flu a few times. I get bad fevers. I have never even been sick enough to go to the hospital.

As for education, I have been so lucky. I went to an awesome elementary school and was able to skip 2 grades. Junior high and high school came easily to me, and I had some great opportunities for awards and extra-curriculars. And most amazing of all, I can go to university debt-free because I have scholarships. Those are a lot due to how hard I worked and what I did to succeed, but also simply because I live here and have supportive parents. Even if I didn't get scholarships and I wasn't saving my paychecks, I still wouldn't have to get a student loan because my family can afford to help me out so much.

My family is basically all still here. I was trying to think of the worst thing that has ever happened to me, and I couldn't. Nothing stands out as having a hugely negative impact - how is that even possible? 

After all that, then I hear this awful stories about people who have been abused, tortured, raped, who live in extreme poverty, and so many other awful things. Who decided that I get to have so much and be so lucky? It doesn't make sense to me. 

The things that I worry about or think about in a day - what colour I should paint my nails, what I'm going to do this weekend, what I want to have for supper....so inconsequential. People have to make such horrible decisions, or even worse, other people destroy their lives. My life is so amazing and I need to stop being so selfish and really make a difference.

It's just so hard to know where to start. Can I really change the world? Is that possible for a 17 year old? How?? 

I hope I figure it out.