Living like one of them

Monday was off day! So in the late morning, went to Jars of Clay. Had a meal and drink that came to US$5. That's usually how i spent my day off, at Jars of Clay. Most of the time I would order a couple of pastries and a cup of coffee which comes up to about US$4. That's my luxurious comfort food for the week. (Once in a while, the weekly comfort may be added with a visit to Mount Everest, a Nepalese food restaurant. Usually comes up to another US$5.)

Today on top of my destinated comfort food, I visited a restaurant for dinner. It was my first time there and most probably my last time, if I have a choice. It was a totally atas place. Food was at least US$8 or more. I order the cheapest, Fish and Chips. Not that I cannot afford but I am more conscious of living like one of them. As I stepped foot in the restaurant, I wondered who is the 'them' that I am trying to live like. US$8 gone in just a span of 1/2hour. That amount would have kept someone's stomach filled with food for a week. Every mouth I took reminded of me that as my stomach is filled, there are people (in church and the country) that are starving or skipping meals becoz they just cannot afford. The first word that came to my angered and confused mind was 'perverse'. How 'perverse' I can be enjoying a luxurious meal and yet forgotten the many who are going hungry.

This thought is just pertaining to me. I am not labelling everyone who had been there the same. I personally feel that that level of expenses is way too out to be in a 3rd world country. Yes, it may be cater for the rich and expats but the point is that I am wondering how people can extravagantly enjoy themselves while just a street down, there are pple who can hardly make ends meet. I was not too sure if the restaurant is an NGO, even if it is one, I wondered how much of the revenue or profit goes to aiding the needy. Well, I am sure there are people who feels that my expenses on the comfort food at Jars of Clay is also extravagant. I choose not to defend myself because in that sense it is true.

I wish I can just simply live like one of them.