While I posted about this on my homeschool blog, I had a very different take on this from a financial stand point so thought I would write about here from a different angle.
My 10 year old daughter hates baths and it can be a struggle and creative pursuit to get her to take one. (Then another struggle to get her out!)
The other day I asked "Are you going to take your bath today?"
Her response.........."NO, for all you know, I have plans to become a beggar! I better get started now!"
This got me to thinking............WHAT IF.
What if I would of chose such a goal as a child to grow up to become a beggar? What would that have meant and what significance would it have on impacting my life today?
Most children dream big.......ballerinas, astronauts, being rich and living in mansions, zoologists.......most are later very disappointed with how their life turned out in reality, not matching their childhood dreams in the least. Many become depressed with how life turned out.
But what if we turned the table and dreamt of becoming beggars, full time rustic campers, possums?
Then I really let myself sink into thinking about the life of a beggar, how they would be dressed, where they would sleep, how they would eat.
Then I opened my eyes and looked around MY world and WOW what an impact it had on me! I have always been grateful for what I have, but looking at it from a stance of a beggars eyes it was an amazing journey for me. A new perspective altogether.
I had hubby join me on this exercise , thinking about the life of a beggar if that would of been our goal in life and then open his eyes and look around. I could even see his eyes get wide with wonder......we would think we far succeeded our goal, that we are living a rich and rewarding life full of wonderful modern things! We would feel elated to have such a wonderful warm home, full of modern conveniences, hot water, TVs, a phone, computers, heat, food........................
This is not meant to make fun of the less fortunate, but was for us, a wonderful exercise for gratitude...........a look into our circumstances from a very different place, a wonderful way for us to experience just how blessed we are in the right here and the right now...............
My 10 year old daughter hates baths and it can be a struggle and creative pursuit to get her to take one. (Then another struggle to get her out!)
The other day I asked "Are you going to take your bath today?"
Her response.........."NO, for all you know, I have plans to become a beggar! I better get started now!"
This got me to thinking............WHAT IF.
What if I would of chose such a goal as a child to grow up to become a beggar? What would that have meant and what significance would it have on impacting my life today?
Most children dream big.......ballerinas, astronauts, being rich and living in mansions, zoologists.......most are later very disappointed with how their life turned out in reality, not matching their childhood dreams in the least. Many become depressed with how life turned out.
But what if we turned the table and dreamt of becoming beggars, full time rustic campers, possums?
Then I really let myself sink into thinking about the life of a beggar, how they would be dressed, where they would sleep, how they would eat.
Then I opened my eyes and looked around MY world and WOW what an impact it had on me! I have always been grateful for what I have, but looking at it from a stance of a beggars eyes it was an amazing journey for me. A new perspective altogether.
I had hubby join me on this exercise , thinking about the life of a beggar if that would of been our goal in life and then open his eyes and look around. I could even see his eyes get wide with wonder......we would think we far succeeded our goal, that we are living a rich and rewarding life full of wonderful modern things! We would feel elated to have such a wonderful warm home, full of modern conveniences, hot water, TVs, a phone, computers, heat, food........................
This is not meant to make fun of the less fortunate, but was for us, a wonderful exercise for gratitude...........a look into our circumstances from a very different place, a wonderful way for us to experience just how blessed we are in the right here and the right now...............
I know what you mean. I spent several weeks (over the past few years) in the mountains of Guatemala. They literally have nothing. The people there, specifically the Mayans up in the mountains live in an entirely different world.
ReplyDeleteWhen I came home that first year after spending a week there I was shocked by the "shabby" house I used to live in. It had transformed into a mansion. I had carpet, furniture, a bathroom, a shower curtain! It was amazing all the STUFF that surrounded my life. I never thought before that year that anything I had was really good enough. I mean everything we have could be just a bit nicer. Now I know that I'm above and beyond blessed! There really is NOTHING more that I need. I've already got too much.
I think everyone should do that every now and then, as people do forget exactly how much they do have!
ReplyDeleteGill
Unfortunately, there are some beggars in New York City who bring in $90 to $100 per day begging. That's $3000 cash a month. Yes, they own houses, cars, big screen TV's, have cable and eat steak. A local CBS station did a series on them and one 'beggar' lived two blocks over from where she went to go 'beg'. And yes, she owned a home.
ReplyDeleteIn some countries, begging is actually a profession....handed down from generation to generation. As in India.
Go figure?
Never thought about being a begger so much, but we do have talks at work about how we would or could survive "living at Walmart", living as a homeless person, living as a freegan. Yes, we are all thankful we don't have to but it is also interesting to see how we could cope.
ReplyDeletei just found you blog tonight may6, can say we have a lot in common...we are also from Mich, not so far away from flint...but why i commented finsihed reading the book, Under the Overpass, by Mike Yankoski,,,have your daughter read it and then deside if she wants to be a begger....ronaldj
ReplyDelete