Friday, September 05, 2014

Wealth vs Riches

Mornings have reached a certain level of consistency.


Nurse Miss P, take dog out, allow Miss P the pleasure of 15 or 20 minutes in her bouncer while momma enjoys a quick cup of coffee. Nurse again and feed a half a jar or so of some form of baby food, she's partial to carrots and squash, but readily accepts apples, pears and sweet taters. Burp, change diaper, put down for a 2 hr or so morning nap (yesterday this did NOT happen, far to rambunctious). 

Once down return to the great outdoors, occasionally sans dog. Put whichever horse gets pasture time out for the morning. Drag turkey tractor to a new location (this now needs to start happening 3 or so times a day, as they have become massive and very very hungry). Feed horse and pony, the 4 coops of various poultry oddities, o and the one running around loose and tripping folks. Run the hose to fill all troughs, buckets, pans and other such water containers. Cart by the 2.5-4.5 gallon container to all the coops and stalls and paddocks. 

That complete, gather whatever eggs there are so far. Loose wild (wild being a relative term referring to the fact she's the only hen not cooped up) hen is laying gargantuan brown eggs with the most lovely orange yolk right outside Diamond's stall. 

Chores are complete, at least for the am, return to the house. Check on still napping child. Sit down at computer, enjoy second cup of coffee and breakfast. Wonder why it is that when you are outside doing said chores you feel so comfortable and cool, and yet the moment you sit down sweat starts to pour off you like a waterfall.

Recently I saw a post in which the person mentioned that farmers are so undervalued by society(very true in most cases) and that they are so terribly poor. Frankly as I walk about doing my morning chores, I feel like the wealthiest person alive. I have a delightful child and family. My wild red hen runs to greet me every morning. Horse and pony alike welcome me to the stable with snuffling noises of hello and nuzzles that cannot compare. The silly little yellow and white fluff ball of a dog that calls me hers races about my feet every morning, full peal to each and every barn a million times, as I go about seeing to all my guys and gals that need my care. My hens and roosters in the lower coop are always eager to see my feet as I come with their feed and water, and they provide me with lovely chicks, eggs and giggles as they do their silly little chicken things. 

There are many weeks we wonder how to pay the bills in all honesty. But you know what, I wouldn't trade my life and what I have for Warren Buffet's fortune. Too many people worry about making a million or striking it rich, and fail to see the wealth of family, friends, and experiences they've been granted. Stop and smell the roses, and stop coveting thy neighbors possessions, and maybe the world won't seem so unfair. 

What is the difference between the rich and the poor?

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 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."

2 comments:

Cassie said...

If you ask my children if they are poor or if they are rich, they will say that they are rich because we have stuff we can give away to others :) ~C

"Poor is a state of mind" -Dave Ramsey

Paintsmh said...

I've seen so many people who have the 2 yr old gimmies lately. It scares me the direction our world is taking.