True Wealth

One day a very affluent father decided that he needed to expose his son to how less prosperous people lived. So, he took his son on a trip to the countryside where he had arranged for them to stay on a farm for a few days with what would be considered a poor family. Upon returning home, the father asked his son what he had learned on their trip to the country.

The son replied, “I saw that we have one dog, but they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden, but they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden, but they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard, but they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on, but they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they get to serve one another and others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, but they have ‘friends’ to protect them.”

The father was speechless. Then, the son added, “It showed me how ‘poor’ we are!”

This little boy was wiser than his father. He understood what is the “true wealth” for which to give thanks. Real gratitude has little to do with the material, but much to do with the spiritual; little to do with “things”, but much to do with relationships.....Anon

Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have?

"Wealth is the ability to fully experience life" Henry David Thoreau