Being “Rich” Depends on Who’s Looking (and From Where)

 
I am awake, I am alive, and this morning my mind remains fixated on perspective and just how much it changes depending on where you are standing.

You see, it happened again this past weekend. I met someone from my hometown. They are older than me so we didn’t know each other but I did know her youngest sibling. We spent some time laughing, throwing names out at each other, to see which sparked recognition and then the conversation turned to where I used to live.

A few directions, a few corrections later, and she realized I lived in “the big white house”.

“Oh! You guys were rich!”

That is the second time someone has referred to the income level of my family as “rich” (The first time being A COUSIN!), and trust me when I say, we were not! (A house without running water can hardly be classed as the “home of the rich” in my mind!)

But from her perspective – my parents weren’t binge-drinkers. My family always enjoyed a sit-down dinner together. My family enjoyed brand new clothes and supplies for school. And my family went on family vacations even if they were only weekend camping trips to Fort Frances or Thunder Bay.

For my cousin, the differentiator was different. I had a Dad. ‘Nuff said.

So my journey continues today, as I grow ever more aware of where I stand, where I have stood, where I one day hope to stand, and what those places look like for those with less.

A humbling Gratitude Exercise that I highly recommend.

Food for thought …
 

I love you!
HUGSSSSSSSSS
Sandi