As I watch the status of our economy with great wonderment for the future (I leave the concern for the future to the incessant worriers), I am reminded of Dad's extension of a common saying. Likely in tough economic times we have all heard someone say: "The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer." This is meant to draw attention to the chasm being created between the rich and the poor, and the supposed elimination of the middle class. Well, Dad had a bit more to say than simply: "The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer." He would always add: "because the rich keep doing the things that got them rich, and the poor keep doing the things that keep them poor." Now Dad always made it clear that it was never his intention to minimize the plight of the true poverty stricken, and always encouraged and set the example for us to help those people. However, his intention - which was communicated quite effectively, I might add - was to draw attention to the able but unwilling. Most often, those that complain about the "The rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer," are those that have had tremendous opportunity provided to them by their families, their companies, their communities and most especially their country, but have failed to make good choices, and have effectively taken two steps back. Frankly, those people too often blame others: their parents, their politicians, their neighbors, rather than looking at the path that they have made, and now are traveling.
I am reminded of the poem by Robert Frost: "The Road Not Taken". From Dad's lessons on the rich and the poor, I believe this poem is the best example of what he was trying to teach: If you do like everyone else, you will end up like everyone else. Make the hard choices, seize the opportunities provided, and work hard to accomplish and earn what they have to offer. That is really how the rich get richer.
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well said Danny... but here is a thought... If the rich(defined by your post as financial wealth) were to look at life as a journey together with all of humanity and not a quest for influence, power, status, and material possessions, might they have an even greater impact. There are many that do it well... but even those are the minority. The teachings of Jesus point to a startling fact that we are all poor... we are in debt up to our eyes... we own nothing, we can lay claim to nothing. I hear the grumblings of the poor and the grumblings of the rich. I walk in circles that enable me to hear both... The poor can learn something from the rich... Make better decisions... but the rich can learn something from the poor... hunger pains really hurt... people die in the winter when the heat gets turned off, sidewalks are cold to sleep on...
ReplyDeleteI do not disagree with your post... but if the rich want to be really rich... they would give 90% of their income to the poorest of the world. Bill Gates' net worth would be $4 Billion instead of $40 Billion, and we would have aids vaccinations to every child of sub-Sahara Africa... One more child may have a meal... one more disabled person would have a place to sleep this winter... and next winter... and the next...
Miss you Danny... keep the thoughts coming...
Thanks for sharing this on Facebook. I only lost my Dad in 2008 and am still struggling on this journey. Blogging does help I think ...
ReplyDeleteHugs
Becky
Conversations with my Dad
http://conversationswithmydad.blogspot.com/