What is "Poor"?

[LoudLou]

I recieved this in an E-mail this AM and thought I'd share it with all our friends on PetTalk:

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. 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 can be?" the father asked. "Oh Yeah" said the son. "So 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."

With this the boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are."

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don't have. What is one person's worthless object is another's prize possession. It is all based on one's perspective. Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for all the bounty we have, instead of worrying about wanting more. Take joy in all you have, especially your friends. Pass this message on.

[jenluckenbach]

thank you

[KrustyKrabbs]

Wow thats really great. I know people at school who act like they are so much better than others just because there parents have tons of money and a big house and stuff. But they are mean to other people and that's messed up.

[Vio&Juni]

The son got the real message.
Hey, KrustyKrabbs, I remember when in the University one girl was acting important just becasue she had more and nicer clothes than all the others. My friend said a thing, I will never forget - Yeah, but this is your father that can afford this, not you! We'll see after we graduate which one of us has a real value.
Unfortunately, for that girl, she didn't even graduate - too busy with dressing up - and she's somewhere in Western Europe selling her body. And the girl she was talking about then, is a pretty succesful woman now.
The message here is - one's value is not the clothes, especially the ones bought by someone else.

[RockyRoad]

I remember quite a short time ago someone I know was bragging about her house, horse stall, horse, and stuff. But she was totally rude and inconsiderate to others. And like that girl in your story, Vio&Juni, she might not get those things when her parents stop paying for everything.
I loved that story, thanks so much LoudLou. It really makes us realize more about "poor people" being "poor". The son got the real message.

[NoahsMommy]

Very good....too bad this couldn't be printed on t-shirts....

[KrustyKrabbs]

Yep, I remember a girl too who was bragging about having a DVD player in her room and stuff, and saying how she's so used to being rich that she forgot that other people have to work to get money, and her parents let her have whatever she wanted and all the pets she wanted and stuff. I was thinking the same thing, that it's parents who have all the money, sometimes they don't even have to work to have it, their family is just rich. It's too bad it makes people act so evil. I'm glad she doesn't go to my school anymore.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Good lesson! I think dad got a lesson he wasn't looking for!

[mugsy]

That's another one of my favorites.

[LoudLou]

Glad you all enjoyed it. Amazing how sometimes it takes the "Young Ones" to help us keep perspective.



NoahsMommy : ...."Very good....too bad this couldn't be printed on t-shirts.... "

...I AGREE, or bumper stickers, or billboards.

[popcornbird]

That's a wonderful story! I love it!

[Aspen and Misty]

Thanx I loved it to! Really made me step back and look at things.

Ash

[HoRsELUvR]

that's a great story!it really puts things in perspective.

[lynnestankard]

Thanks Kate - made me think - and I like the outcome!

Lynne

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story. I'm going to e-mail it to someone right now.