How Poor Are We

[soizan]

The following forwarded to me by a friend:



One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the
express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"It was great, Dad."

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered:

"I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!


"Life is too short and friends are too few."

[wolflet]

there is a thing i did awhile back...international gratitude day......spend one whole day not only being grateful for what you have, but also not to think any negative thoughts, about anything.......not easy, but the idea was not to be 100% but to TRY.......it was amazing to watch my mind, & to try & catch it & shift it.........go gratitude!

[leviathon]

something I have always realized is that "I have always had more than enough"... I left home at 14, there were some really trying times... times when I ran out of food and didn't know if I would eat, friends brought it over without asking, they just knew... parents of friends would send "care packages" so they knew I was fed. Teachers watched over me and took the place of parents. They too sent food home when I was struggling.

Presents would appear out of no where and I always had a place at christmas dinner. So while I didn't have my own all the time, I was always welcome.

I only developed problems when I focussed solely on myself. Then I became addicted and out of touch. I spiralled out of control. When I regained my persepective, the addiction has stopped and life is once again wonderful. I will try to be greatful that my addiction taught me this lesson when ever I am feeling down.

Levi

[equus]

My friend was paying for his aunt in hospital, 1000 rupees a day - more than his earnings so soon they would have to bring her home to die. She was in her 70's and he took me with his family to see her, she used to be an english teacher and was keen to ask me questions in english. His sister in law was there and because she was deaf he and his wife busily translated both from english into sinhalese signing with some funny errors I gathered!

I asked him whether many people died because they couldn't afford healthcare and he said when they are old and it's time then yes BUT.... he explained a system, pedantic, uniform, and functional.

He said when someone is sick and they need treatment one of their family or a friend must make a book saying why they are sick and how much the treatment costs. The person who is ill can't go and ask because they are sick (in Sri Lanka there is NO cultural pressure not to ask - it's allowed), because the person is ill a friend or relative must ask for them and go round the village and into the street to ask for the money for treatment. He said everyone pays what they can and if it's a child many pay more than they can!

A few people started doing this as a con with tourists but it's not a very successful one because the locals hate it being used and to westerners it looks like a con anyway. However if you friend or family is sick and you are the one with the book, you duty is to ask especially those that can give money which includes tourists.

And just in case some are sceptical I was sold a story to part me from my cash - the last two trips I offered to send the money I had for air fare instead of visiting, both times I was told it's more important for family and friends to see each other than have money. Now almost a decade later I have never been asked for more than the equivilant of £10 - oh and a promise that if one particular young man needs to be in hospital that I'll help pay the hospital directly, again it's never been a promise that's been cashed.

A different perspective indeed from the ranting of tourists asked for a few pennies.

I have always wished I could remember accurately enough our conversation where I tried to justify the need for two words 'want and need' instead of just the one word 'onae' meaning both. In the end I had to admit that I want/needed two words not one - that onae was truer of my want/need to judge between want and need.

See - Chinthaka would have argued the rich man was ok because he 'onae' the things he has, because he is afraid of losing them and because his happiness counts as much as the poorest man's. The poorest man is ok to ask for what he 'onae' and the wealthy one should give what he can, but what he can may be as much about his understanding and lack of fear as it is about the amount of money he has. Chinthaka was and still is a man without resentment who deeply loves people.