I've been rich and I've been poor, and rich is better.
I don't remember who said this, but I second the motion.
Money may not buy happiness, but it sure calms your nerves.
And makes life a lot easier.
I had lots of kids, and little money.
There were times when I babysat extra kids so we could buy food, didn't have a dollar to rent a movie, or gas to get to church. We must hold the world record for being stranded the most times in junker cars. We once lived in a place that had no address, no phone, and had no car at all. My husband hitchhiked every day many hours and many miles to look for a job. I walked out to the road and caught a ride with friends to church every Sunday with my four kids under 5. I'll never forget when I was making bread to feed my babies with the last bit of flour in the house, and while I was on the phone my helpful daughter dumped all the flour into the dough, ruining the bread and using up all of the precious flour. What a blessing it was when someone brought us a pound of hamburger and marshmallows to treat my kids. From there we moved into a 4-room house with six kids, and had eight when we moved out. My children grew up without having new clothes for school, going to McDonald's, or having store-bought sweetened cold cereal for breakfast.
I was very gratified when my eldest teen-aged daughter once said,
"We don't have any money, but we aren't poor."
She was right. We didn't have money, but we were rich in the things that mattered.
We were not deprived of love or friends or physical comforts.
We were busy and happy and productive.
We had faith and purpose and meaning to our lives.
And we were having a lot of fun.
We weren't poor at all.
Indeed, we were rich.
3 comments:
Where did you come from and what are you made of, because I didn't get ANY of it! I can't imagine living the way you just described. Were you at least frustrated and miserable some of the time? My genetic make-up doesn't seem to allow for such grace and patience under pressure. No wonder Jenn can handle the craziness of her life without freaking out, she learned from the master.
I understood we didn't have money growing up, but I never once felt poor. In the things that matter, we were indeed rich.
And I want it clarified that 4 rooms included the kitchen and the living room! When I whine about my "crowded house" I remember the Little House and the whining becomes... less vocal (how's that for honest!) People are shocked by how we lived but the years in that house are still some of my favorite childhood memories and I give you the credit mom! You never led on how poor we were and I can not remember you complaining. In fact, it is with humor and appreciation that I look back at all our walking away from broken down cars, doing 14 loads at the laundry mat, only getting sugared cereal from Santa... rich is better and my growing up was rich indeed!
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