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."
I had this story relayed to me years ago and finally found it. While our circumstances are fresh on my mind at present I cannot help to think of how truly blessed we are. Once we had a large home and to the embarrassment of Trevor and myself, it was often the "talk of the ward/town" as our new projects procured interest. We were often too modest to satisfy questions and often requested tours. It was a house...simply that and nothing more.
True, the home had made significant improvement during our ownership. But Trevor and I learned some valuable lessons. There is more to life than a house. It's not the home, the improvements, nor the yard. It's the people in the home that matter most. Regretfully, it would take irreplaceable years of our children's youth to restore the home to it's former splendor. I learned that we were compelled to finish it if we ever wanted to turn a profit and hope to take the earnings and wisely invest. For getting out of debt(our only has been our home)has been our chief aim.
You can never go back, only forward. My purpose of posting is not to lament, but rather to signify my gratitude for the matchless lessons we have acquired. How silly is a showy home, yard or vehicle.
In this small little town of Williams Arizona, we are renting a diminutive home compared to the size of our former. But can I relate how wonderful it truly is. It is manageable, easy and quick to clean. Modest but sentimental. The walls hold some of my favorite artwork. The bookcases are lined with my favorite classics along with the children's schoolwork and I have the basics. It humbly boasts 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Three girls in one room and three boys in the other. While we cannot fit all we had left (from what I didn't sell or donate) in these four walls, we have what matters. One woman from the ward commented "how do all of you fit inside that home?" While I know she meant no ill will, and I no malice,it reminded me of how far I have come. I believe most of us in life go through a phase of needing to prove ourselves. Be big and grand and having that signifies success. How silly I was in my folly. When renting in the most expensive getaway town of Arizona, I cannot see it prudent to spend any more than I have to on a wasteful rental. It is nice. It is clean and that is what matters.
I am grateful for the simplicity. For the break of home improvements. For the time to spend on my husband, children and invest into developing my mind/soul. I am grateful that I was once reminded that I am dependant on my God for everything I am, can be and ultimately all that I have. It's not the home that makes the family but the family that makes the home. Now that I have more time I know that as J.R.R Tolkien states "it's what you do with the time that is given to you." I know assuredly that I will be accountable for that very thing. I am learning what richness really is.
May I conclude my thoughts with some of Victor Hugo's in Les Miserables:
"Poverty in youth, when it succeeds, is magnificent in that it turns the whole will toward effort and the whole soul toward aspiration. Poverty strips the material life entirely bare, and makes it hideous; from this arise inexpressible yearnings toward the ideal life. The rich young man has a hundred brilliant and coarse amusements, racing, hunting, dogs, cigars, gabling, banqueting, and the rest; busying the lower portions of the soul at the expense of its higher, more delicate ones. The poor young man must work for his bread; he eats; when he has eaten, he has nothing left but reverie. He enters God's theater free; he sees the sky, space, the stars, the flowers, the children, the humanity in which he suffers, the creation in which he shines. He looks at humanity so much that he sees the soul, he looks at creation so much that he sees God. He dreams, he feels that he is great; he dreams some more, and he feels that he is tender. From the egotism of the suffering hand, he passes to the compassion of the contemplating man. A wonderful feeling springs up within him, forgetfulness of self, and pity for all. In thinking of the countless enjoyments nature offers, gives, and gives lavishly to open souls and refuses to closed souls, he, a millionaire of intelligence, comes to grieve for the millionaires of money. All hatred leaves his heart as all light enters his mind."
