Monday, June 19, 2006

What it means to be poor

One day , the father of a very rich family took his son on a trip to the country to show his son how poor people can be.
They spent a couple of days on the farm of a very poor family.

On their return, 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 Yes" 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 beyondour 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."

-----------------------
After reading this email sent by one of my friend, I realised alot of things..
In our whole life, we've been pursuring the best out of the best.
But what is the best?

To some people, driving a VIOS is more den enuff..but some want BM..
To some people, a 5 room HDB flat is enuff to spend their lives with their love ones, but some want terrace houses, bugalows..

Yesterday my dear "P" told me this when I questioned him with this question..
dan: Have u ever think you could find someone better to spend your life with, better in looks, characters, etc?
P replied with his long story as usual: Look, today you have a very beautiful girlfriend and with her, you bumped into a girl who is prettier den her and you forsake your gf to be with this girl, and another day you saw another girl who is much much more prettier and you let go of her to be with this girl.
So? If you really want to compare, there's never ending as they're so many people in the world.

After hearing, I really solved out my mind and confirm what I want.
Yes, looks is not important.
As long as happiness exist, I will be the most fortunate woman in my own world.

I don't mind if my future hubby can't afford a car, can't afford a condominum as all these are not important.
See, if you own all these but your hubby don't treat you well, would you be happy?
Luxury and happiness, I choose happiness.
Yes, I'm that sort. I want love, not bread.
Of coz I'm not saying bread is not important, just that I believe I could work hard with my partner to bake our bread and even own a bread factory in future if we really want.
Once again, the love must be there, strong enuff to make us move..

And back to the level of rich and poor, its really in your own mind.
if you're contented with a stable job with fixed income, a cosy house with a not-so-pretty but caring wife, you're already rich and fortunate.
You could eat maggi mee everyday, but you have a happy family.
You have a RICH life, definitely richer den those rich who live in bugalow living in their highly maintenance lifestyles..

Not all poor people live in miserable life..
Poor people know how to survive in a environment who we singaporean will never know.
Can you imagine we singaporeans not to bath for a week?
Do not mention out field camp. This is training. Out of no choice.
Can you imagine the feeling of going hungry for a week?
If you did, please, not referring to dieting. This is self-torture.

Like wat the little boy said,"We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night."
I really agreed..

The nature is nothing else dat can replace.
The blinking stars high above, how many rich kids in singapore get to view this kinda of scenery.
They have their X-box, computers at home which already occupy so much of their times, who will bother to lift up their heads and take a look at the beautiful sky.

If you think you're poor, think once again what u have..
If you think you're rich, how you define rich..

Poor and rich, all in your mind.

16 comments:

Old Beng said...

Contentment is what we need.

Rich, poor, doesn´t matter as long as one is happy and healthy.

Anonymous said...

i still think financially poor = emotionally poor = mentally poor.

i mean, take a look at those 'not so well to do' families. life's hard, tried to look on the positive side yet some assholes out there still beating them when they're down.

this is reality. and that's sad.

i know this might be a little bit off.. but still, the story only reflected the 'poor' side of wealthy people.

-Ah Piao

dandan...™ said...

But I do agreed with old beng..
Its the contentment..

Of coz, ah piao,I agreed some poors really think this way:
financially poor = emotionally poor = mentally poor.

But what is the reason the poor is getting poorer but the rich are getting richer? this is so unacceptable...

dandan...™ said...

hahaa..
Lau hero, why u so cute one?

But its not abt comparison now..
Its just dat why the poor still remain poor?
There's really no way to get abit richer?
Just abit feeling so funny..
Really no way to strive for better life?

Richard said...

I sent it to my wife who replied back:

i imagine you identified with the boy, right?? unfortunatedly being poor is not as glamorous as they make it sound here. Farmers are usually poor, sure they have 4 dogs, but they need them to protect their animals, they do not "own a land that goes beyond sight' as it says here (most times they work for somebody else), they grow their food, this is nice but they have to exchange it (usually for a miserable price) if they need to buy some other comodity; sure they have friends (but this is usually what poor people really have, some other poor people as friends).

dandan...™ said...

Your wife has her point too..
set me thinking in another perspective..
=)
Thanks for sharing her thoughts with me..

Mockingbird said...

Yup. It's all in the mind. If you think you're rich, you're rich :)

And now let the weak say i am strong
Let the poor say i am rich
Because of the Lord has done for us
Give thanks

Mockingbird said...
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Mockingbird said...
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Mockingbird said...

We need to count our blessings and quit focusing on what we don't have :)

sÞ¡ηηєє said...

freak man! i almost posted this email on the day that I posted the 'divorce' story on my side: this email has been sitting in my box for 3 yrs .. hahaah

anyway at the end of the day, everyone brings nothing to 6 ft under. ;)

dandan...™ said...

ya..
make senses...
but also rubbish la lau hero.....

sÞ¡ηηєє said...

RUBBISH la lau hero! he can't bring them spiritually neither lo!

or u tried b4?

OUT OF POINT LA!

dandan...™ said...

Lolz...
hahahahhahaaa
continue ur rubbish lau hero!!
I like it!!

Anonymous said...

Humans.... if they r contented with what they have, they r rich... but if they r not contented, then they will forever be poor. Richness is not a measure of wealth.. but a measure of contentment. As time passes, as we grow older, looking back we realise the so called things that we wanted..once it is in our hands, that strong feeling seem to diminish...and not long again, a new thing will occupy that empty space...on n on again...this empty space makes us poor.. striving for more n more. contentment will fill up this void n makes us happy with what we already have. :) wat makes all this differences in everyone? it is all in the mind... ever think when all material things in ur possession become of no priority n value? it is during the time when u know ur last moments have arrived. so i hope we can do the best we can when we r alive n not live in fear n regrets... namaste..

NA said...

This is so well written. So simply but succinctly clear enuf for all to comprehend.

Thanks for reminding us once again that there are so many wonderful things/people around us - if only we stop and gaze around us.