A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a friend that rattled me. It hit me in a way that I haven’t been able to shake the discomfort. And I am truly grateful and humbled for the perspective.

It was one line.

This friend (from a country that’s been under conflict for nearly a decade) casually mentioned that he and his family have had to start from zero several times in the last few years.

From zero.

Situations on the ground saw them packing whatever they could, and getting away as quickly as possible. Once in a safe location, they did what they could to start fresh.

The idea that people are forced to move to a new destination with nothing but a few suitcases is unfathomable to most people — it certainly is to me.

Yet this sort of thing happens more than we realize. And knowing that this is the only life some people have known for years on end is absolutely heartbreaking.

Taking the time to appreciate this, as discomforting as it may be, is hugely important when considering how fortunate so many of us truly are.