John Scalzi posted this after Katrina when people who haven’t struggled wondered why so many of the poor didn’t leave. It was recently featured on CNN’s front page in an article about poverty. The comments are civil and filled with similar memories of what poverty looks, feels and tastes like. I know both of our girls will recognize their childhoods in this one.
Here are a few of my own:
- Being poor is wrapping Christmas presents in the free envelopes from the post office because wrapping paper is a luxury
- Being poor is knowing you can celebrate any occasion for about $5 at Taco Bell
- Being poor is a broken window you can’t fix no matter how much it might let in the cold
- Being poor is hoping you don’t run out of kerosene before you run out of money
- Being poor is a house without A/C in Florida because you couldn’t afford to run the A/C anyway so why tempt fate
- Being poor is knowing you won’t be able to pay back what you borrowed but having to ask (again) anyway
- Being poor is sending your kids to their grandparents for Christmas because you can’t afford more than hotdogs and dollar store items (again)
- Being poor is rotten teeth and no way to fix them
- Being poor is eating potatoes and pasta so that your kids can have fruit and vegetables
- Being poor is “choosing” to be carless because it sounds better than “our car broke, so now we don’t have one
Moira, Els, Marc – feel free to share your own in the comments. :)
One final one:
- Being poor is always knowing how lucky you are that it wasn’t worse
Being poor is having a home made water park (a kiddie pool with a hose).
Being poor is thinking as a child that tomatoes and lettuce were hamburgers.
Being poor is not knowing what brand cereal tastes like.
Being poor is having the best costumes thanks to a creative mom :)
Being poor is having teachers at school ask me if they could do anything for me, including buy me lunch.
Being poor is not easy, but it makes you tougher, smarter, and better.
Being poor is having a movie night by getting a movie from the library.
Being poor is hoping not to get caught by the library because you also using them as a daycare.
Being poor is buying presents used or from the dollar store.
Being poor is having lunch at the sample stands at the grocery store.
Being poor is duct taping everything back together.
Being poor is getting off brand medicine.
Being poor is having a push mower :)
Being poor is a lot of things but I’d rather be poor than a rich, pompous, jerk that hurts others! Vote Obama!!