You probably have never woken up thinking it may be your last day to live. Chances are your life has never been threatened by your corrupt government, your home has not been set on fire because you had no money and you have probably never been in a country where your family can get kidnapped by the cartel.Â
This is the reality of many people living in Central America, the reality of many asylum seekers and the reality of the migrants at the Southern border of America.Â
Over spring break, I had the opportunity to participate in a border immersion program in El Paso, Texas, where I gained insight from many different advocates for immigration reform and heard the stories of some beautiful souls who were on their journey to life in America.Â
The picture illustrated by the media of the border and the people who come to it could not be further from the truth. You might think floods of people storm the border, illegally evade the legal pathways of our immigration system and blend into the fabric of this country. The reality is that almost everyone comes to the United States legally because they claim asylum. The problem is you must be on U.S. soil in order to declare asylum.Â
People from Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras and more walk on foot thousands of miles through deserts, mountains and the most dangerous jungle in the world just to reach American soil. They face kidnappings, murders, sexual assault and violence just to reach America and what they think is freedom. The reality is that many of them will lose their asylum cases and face deportation. They risk their lives just to be sent back to what they wanted to escape.
The system is and always has been designed to keep migrants out. From the backlog of 1 million asylum cases to the challenges with seeing a judge to the fact that people cannot seek asylum solely to escape poverty means that the United States turns away millions of migrants annually who come to America for a better life.Â
I had a life-changing experience by being able to talk with many of these migrants, learn their stories, remember their names and understand why they continue to endure hardship. Here is what I learned.
Never take life for granted. Never assume you will have a tomorrow, that you can call your family back later or push your dreams off to another time. Be thankful for what you have and the parts of your life that are going well. It is easy to lose perspective, get caught up in the whirl of life and focus on the things that go wrong. However, practicing gratitude and reflecting on what means the most to you in life will make your life seem that much better than ever before. Keep the people who mean the most to you close, and show them every day that you love them; this life is too short to forget the privileges and gifts you have.Â
El Paso, Texas and the hearts of these migrants are abundant with hope, love and aspirations. Their unrelenting dedication to provide for their families and give their children a chance at a better life is what keeps migrants alive. There are people with far less, who are vastly more abundant in everything that matters, and this is a lesson I will always remember and carry forward.Â
Since most of us will probably never have to walk through the most dangerous jungle in the world, escape extreme poverty or be threatened at gunpoint, everyone can learn from the people who have survived. Everyone can take their lessons and admire their strength in order to remind themselves to live to a greater extent and find happiness in the immense gifts already possessed.