Rich Man, Poor Man

Having visited many countries you realize how little people live with compared to us in the west. It led me to think about my Mum's family in South Africa. They live about 45 mins outside of Durban, the 3rd largest city in SA. They generally did not have a lot compared to their cousins in Canada - they were not poor but lived within modest means. I recall as a child that whenever someone would comeback from a visit to the motherland they would always send an enormous package for us. The same could not be said for my fairly well-to-do father's family (not to say they were bad people - just an observation).

It has led me to believe that those who have the least tend to give the most. Someone I met in India said that they way the Indians view themselves among the socio-economical heirarchy is opposite to that in the west. In the West we look to those who have more than us to see what we could have. We strive and often define ourselves by trying to reach that level. 

In India they look to those who have less and see what they actually have and feel fortunate to have more than those less fortunate. I noticed whilst in India it was the poor street vendors who were giving money to the beggars. Those in fancy cars and flash clothes would turn a blind eye to both parties.

The upshot of this diatribe is that we should reflect and consider what we do have and never ever take it for granted.