Discovering Water

People in this country complain a lot. When the economy is down we complain about jobs, unemployment and the stock market crashing. When the economy is up we complain about inflation, minimum wage and the stock market being too high. We fuss about the mud when it rains and the heat when it’s sunny. As a society, we have also learned to blame anyone and everyone when things haven’t worked out for us. We’ve become very adept at playing the victim.

That’s sad and tragic because we whine about problems that people from many other nations would give anything to have. It’s been said a fish is the last one to discover water. Why? Even though water is all around him and that’s all he knows, he doesn’t notice it because of that very circumstance: water is all around him. He takes it for granted and neither notices or appreciates it. That’s what’s wrong with a lot of us, we are surrounded by so much blessing and opportunity that we don’t even realize it’s there.

When I was going to college, I had the privilege of getting to know some of the finest students at my school. They were arguably some of the most intelligent – but also determined and focused – young men and women at the university. I want to introduce you to two of them here.

Tasha and Zeljka looked like your typical college students. They were both in their early 20’s, fun, social and enjoying the college experience. They did all the normal college stuff, and if you just saw them in passing you’d think they were just there enjoying the ride like everyone else, wondering what life on the other side of college would bring.

Although these two young women looked like two typical American students, they had something most of my fellow classmates were missing. They had perspective. You see, Tasha and Zeljka were not born into this country. They emigrated here from Bosnia during the Bosnian war and knew what it was like to lose everything and come to a new, strange, scary place with nothing, not even knowing the language. They knew what it was like to be a fish out of water.

Amidst all the turmoil and heartache in coming here and the intimidation of being in such a different country and culture, those two women understood they had amazing opportunity here and it could not be wasted. It would not be wasted. They knew where they were going and the sacrifice it would take to get there. They both displayed gritty determination to make the most of every chance they were given. They were tenaciously resilient and when things didn’t go their way, they didn’t make excuses, they just worked harder.

Those two gals were and still are a tremendous source of inspiration for me. I couldn’t help but push myself harder when I understood what they had gone through and the obstacles they faced just to be there with me at that school. They reminded me how truly blessed I was to have been given the opportunities they fought so hard to have.

So what’s the takeaway? Despite all our shortcomings – and we have plenty – this country, especially during this time, provides the best opportunities to live and thrive and impact the world around us that have every existed in the history of the planet. You must periodically step out of the normal pattern of your life to get perspective. Yes, there are problems and obstacles, but that will always be the case. You cannot get caught up on what isn’t there, but instead focus intently on what is. You need to be a fish out of water.

By the way, you should probably know both women are physicians now. Zeljka is a surgeon and Tasha is a neurologist. I’m so grateful they helped me discover water.