Dear Kid,

It was a difficult weekend for Pi. Over the course of two soccer games she got the general complement of bangs and bruises and a very messed up shoulder.

We went to Children’s Hospital on Saturday to have someone look at her shoulder. [Remind me to explain to her that it is not a goal of mine to visit every outpost of Children’s.] They didn’t see much on the x-rays, but said we should see an orthopedist.

Mom, I already got the medical report. I know. Hang on. We’re getting to the point of the story.

On Monday, we went to a closer location of Children’s to get copies of her x-rays to take with us to the orthopedist appointment. As we were waiting for the CD, we noticed two young girls (they looked like twins to me) waiting for what we guessed was a round of chemotherapy. The two girls were bald, ultra-thin, and seemed quite happy.

As we left the hospital, Pi told me that it put things in perspective seeing those two girls. “I almost feel bad that I am only here about my shoulder,” she said, “when there are people with cancer.”

I said I thought it was a good reminder that no matter how bad things get, there are always people who are in worse situations. And that it was good to remember that the two little girls seemed very cheerful. Because, just like us, there are people in the world who don’t have it as good as they do.

So as the end of the semester approaches, and professors seem to feel the need to load on the work and raise up the expectations, remember that there are people who don’t have the luxury of being in college at all. There are those who would love the opportunity for higher education, who would relish every moment of stress and studying and writing papers.

Even when it seems “eh,” you’ve got it pretty good.

Love, Mom