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I volunteer at a food shelf and I see so much LOVE there, among the customers, who have very little. A sister helping out her brother who is in need of guidance. Two elderly brothers, each deferring to the other on food choices. A man holding hands with his impaired (I suspect a stroke) wife.
Not everyone, but enough that they shine out like bright stars.
I think people who have very little themselves have more empathy and compassion for others. They KNOW what it feels like..
Where I live there are a lot of very poor people...they feel fortunate just to have a warm place to lay their heads and a hot meal in their bellies.
I enjoy their company soooo much.
They have very realistic outlooks on life. They can be very understanding and caring to those with even less...a great concern for them.
Some would give the coat off their backs to help another.
To me they show that it's not material wealth that makes one happy.....it's kindness and caring towards each other that makes a life good.
I think people who have very little themselves have more empathy and compassion for others. They KNOW what it feels like..
Where I live there are a lot of very poor people...they feel fortunate just to have a warm place to lay their heads and a hot meal in their bellies.
I enjoy their company soooo much.
They have very realistic outlooks on life. They can be very understanding and caring to those with even less...a great concern for them.
Some would give the coat off their backs to help another.
To me they show that it's not material wealth that makes one happy.....it's kindness and caring towards each other that makes a life good.
Thought I'd share this with you folks. I just had my third month of social helper come for 4 hr to help with wash, changing bed and light house work and even some personal stuff..
All 3 people so far come from so little, large families and other countries for the most part and talk about kindness and willing to help. And they work for so little compared to so so many in the U.S. I've already told her which painting of mine she can have down the road, she likes my work and I've given artwork to others already.
The point is this, so many Americans complain about so much and have so so much more.
I often think about this very thing you mention here. I often feel shame in myself for not being more "happy" I've struggled with depression and anxiety most of my life. I've never been officially diagnosed but just notice that I've felt like crap a lot.
I have nothing to whine about, every metric that one can use in terms of the things that people "think" should make you happy I have and in some have much more than the average.
I have a need for nothing, I have more than I could want.... yet I still whine, still covet, still feel unsettled, still compare myself to others.
Self loathing requires a lot of self examination to have rational thoughts about it.
Yes... to address the OP, lots of people have no shoes and yet enjoy much happiness.
Maybe I'll ditch my shoes... might help.
Last edited by Chowhound; 10-06-2018 at 04:40 PM..
Reason: type O
I often think about this very thing you mention here. I often feel shame in myself for not being more "happy" I've struggled with depression and anxiety most of my life. I've never been officially diagnosed but just notice that I've felt like crap a lot.
I have nothing to whine about, every metric that one can use in terms of the things that people "think" should make you happy I have and in some have much more than the average.
I have a need for nothing, I have more than I could want.... yet I still whine, still covet, still feel unsettled, still compare myself to others.
Self loathing requires a lot of self examination to have rational thoughts about it.
Yes... to address the OP, lots of people have no shoes and yet enjoy much happiness.
Maybe I'll ditch my shoes... might help.
You said a LOT here about all you have and deal with the issues you mention. There has got to be ways to get out of the issues you mention. Thyroid so OFTEN is just not fixed and supported and doctors, many of them do a bad job on the thyroid support. There are MANY ways to help yourself with what you say.
I went 10 yrs in a horrible clinical depression and it was thyroid and the doctors I saw all those years failed me.
You see, here in our country, we have soooooo much! I'm serious. It wasn't until I took a mission trip to Cite Soleil, Haiti that I grasped this concept. The people there, literally living in tiny shacks, not much bigger than an 8 by 9 cell, were happy......
You see their basic needs were met, that's all they have.
Here we live in a land overflowing with abundance. OVERFLOWING!!!! Here, it is never enough, we try so hard to fill the void with "stuff". But stuff doesn't bring happiness, ever. They fill their lives with the basics, family, food, helping others, God. We here in This country have lost our way due to our unquenchable thirst for stuff.
I am thankful to be an American where I will never ever go hungry. But feel ashamed to a certain degree the heaping poverty that is only a few hours away by plane. So, I'm just going to throw this out there, us Americans always have a dollar or two to spare. Give. If you can't give your time, then give what is abundant to you as an American, cash. Support groups like World Vision or Healing Haiti https://healinghaiti.org/
When you don't have much, the little things in life bring joy.
Eh, I guess we’ve met different poor people or had different experiences. It may depend whether you’re also poor or at least no more than middle class. As someone with money, it has often been a challenge that I never realized it would be having friends who have very little. Despite trying never to think of it, and being a naturally generous friend who loves to share and make the lives of my friends better if possible, it seems over time jealousy is a common thread. It sometimes arises in bizarre ways so you brush it off, even for years, and in the end I’ve even gotten explosions like the person admitting they’re bothered you have opportunities they don’t have. Like you can help that.
I have noticed IF it’s someone without much money but very happy with what they have, they don’t seem jealous because they are happy people. Those are the ideal friends. It’s also just often tough to discuss issues that bother you or are challenging with poor friends because they default to just “you have it so good compared to most people,” so it minimizes any struggles or difficulties you may face.
Eh, I guess we’ve met different poor people or had different experiences. It may depend whether you’re also poor or at least no more than middle class. As someone with money, it has often been a challenge that I never realized it would be having friends who have very little. Despite trying never to think of it, and being a naturally generous friend who loves to share and make the lives of my friends better if possible, it seems over time jealousy is a common thread. It sometimes arises in bizarre ways so you brush it off, even for years, and in the end I’ve even gotten explosions like the person admitting they’re bothered you have opportunities they don’t have. Like you can help that.
I have noticed IF it’s someone without much money but very happy with what they have, they don’t seem jealous because they are happy people. Those are the ideal friends. It’s also just often tough to discuss issues that bother you or are challenging with poor friends because they default to just “you have it so good compared to most people,” so it minimizes any struggles or difficulties you may face.
Point well taken Johnathan. However the OP was indeed talking about low wage foreigners who work here. The ones that I have directly dealt with happened to come from the Carribean. All happy, and thankful people.
You are bringing up a truth also, but I think it is a truth toward "poor" American friends. They latch on , and eventually hit you up for some cash help. That's sad. I know people like that, they don't have much, and when you give them work, and pay, they eventually want less work and more $$.
It's funny, we've got money. But not like $$$$$ that!! Lol, I am opposite of you in that I try not to get too close to those I know who are very very well off. I do that so I don't give any hint of leeching. It's crazy but true.
You see, here in our country, we have soooooo much! I'm serious. It wasn't until I took a mission trip to Cite Soleil, Haiti that I grasped this concept. The people there, literally living in tiny shacks, not much bigger than an 8 by 9 cell, were happy......
You see their basic needs were met, that's all they have.
Here we live in a land overflowing with abundance. OVERFLOWING!!!! Here, it is never enough, we try so hard to fill the void with "stuff". But stuff doesn't bring happiness, ever. They fill their lives with the basics, family, food, helping others, God. We here in This country have lost our way due to our unquenchable thirst for stuff.
I am thankful to be an American where I will never ever go hungry. But feel ashamed to a certain degree the heaping poverty that is only a few hours away by plane. So, I'm just going to throw this out there, us Americans always have a dollar or two to spare. Give. If you can't give your time, then give what is abundant to you as an American, cash. Support groups like World Vision or Healing Haiti https://healinghaiti.org/
When you don't have much, the little things in life bring joy.
Thanks for your comments. I was born after the great depression so know what having less is all about but we were fine and I've grown up that way. I despise waste and feel a lot of shame too for this country and the afflluency and so many sleeping in the streets. Our leaders are full of waste and so many with their silver spoons they were born into.
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