This story has nothing to do with homeschooling or college admissions, but I think it’s a great example of how the grass always looks greener on the other side, and how we all need to stop and count our blessings from time to time.
One day the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son 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 to 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.”
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The story makes you think that whether you’re rich or poor can be a matter of perspective. So many people who are born into wealth go on to lead tragic lives.
This is a great story. Goes to show it’s not what you own that matters, but how you live your life. While money may seem to make things easier, oftentimes it’s the simple fact of being happy and surrounded by your family that truly makes life easier.
Thank you for sharing as it reminded me how fortunate I am to have the friends and family that I do and not to focus on how much money I have but instead how rich I truly am.