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One day a 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 the 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 yes”, 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 the 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 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.”
story sent by Sangeeta
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after luking at the caption i thought of something bt after reading that it turned out to something else which was too gud n perfectly replied by a child which made his father as well as his readers speechless….
it was fantastic
Dont you think that these are the stories just fabricated by us to show that the grass is always green on the other side of the road. Why dont we acknowledge that the people whether they are apparently poor or they are actually poor or the people who are apparently rich or who are actually rich they have to suffer through their own share of problems and their own share of poverty whether it is material or it is emotional.
I have experienced myself the life of those who are actually poor and of those who are absolutely poor and self-supposedly i have experienced so many faces of life and i have come to the conclusion that there are people who are made to live hard and then there are the people who are destined to live happy. So the father in this reference is destined to live hard and the son to live happy. Perhaps it is all about our perceptions that are always influenced by so many external factors that make us live hard or happy.
Beautiful story. Thanks for sharing Mr. Paulo
Lets Get Poor again…:)
life………………….
SO it is… there is nothing more higher than to be free of everything, to know that all universe than is lying in our hands even if we are poor… I dont´have swimming pool but I have a fantastic river. I don´t complain. Hahahaha! I really like what I recieve each day from God. Thank you Paulo! Light, Cris
Really very touchy and tons of message for everyone.
:)
El rico sabe lo que tiene,y el pobre tiene lo que sabe.
Exelente reflection and education for the children especially, beautiful picture too….Heaven
Thank you, Carreno!!
Thank you so much for sharing this story…It shows that money isn’t everything. As long as we are all together and find time for each other, we will never know right happiness. Also everything depends on the way we are looking. Same glass can be told as half filled and half empty. Its all the way you look at things. This is what I understood from this story.
Such A great Story. Thank You..
What the poor people cannot do is take their son to the city to see how the rich live.
The very rich person could buy a farm pay for it to be run & grow their food, going to it at the weekend to enjoy all the things mentioned. The poor do not have a choice.
I know who I would rather be….
Mr. Cohelo the kids always show us new things to learn, don´t they?
BEAUTIFUL
Mr Coelho, its always been a blissful experience to read your quotes.I would like to add that its not the life that causes misery, its our thoughts which causes them irrespective of one being poor or rich.
it is a beautiful story…the reality we come across everyday….thanks paulo for giving the opportunity to read this story.
Ai esta mais uma confirmacao de que sempre ha mais de um angulo de se ver uma situacao. E eu confesso que na maioria das vezez interpreto as circunstancias do angulo errado…
When you still have the eyes of a child,the whole universe belongs to you…!Thanks for sharing this lovely tale Maestro!
very good life lesson, in our world we often say, we are poor because we cannot buy this and that, we cannot have big houses, new cars. But what are all those things for when one has everything, thinks that is happy because of those things but in reality all that happiness is just fake. I was like that too, always thinking that i am poor because i cannot have some things in my life but after I spent three months in South America in Peru and saw what real poverty look like, people living in concreet squares in the hills without even basic things, struggling feed their family, children and old people selling sweets on the streets until late nights to have money for dinner and so on, but never mind how rough life those people have, i never felt such happiness, kindness and friendliness in my country (Czech Republic and England)like i experienced there. People there dont have much but always are hospitable and friendly like nowhere else. I have very touching memories from this part of the world and will always looking to go back even it is very sad to see all that and sometimes gives me feeling of shame and realisation that in fact my life is not too bad as i thought. It changed my view on life and now even small positive thing make me feel happy. This story tells it all, thank you Mr Coello for this post. everyone who has sometimes the feeling that does not have enough of this or that, does not have this or that should visit once in life places like this and stay there at least that long as me (3 months living with local family in small village, volunteering for local vulnerable children and old people and so on)
thank you, this is beautiful!
planting all day with my sons in the garden teaches me everyday how rich our life truly is and this story sums it all up in simple terms
Precisamos ligar para qualidade de vida e não para status.
Excellent insight into humble gratitude to the blessed life we are enjoying. The poor would vie for the providence of the rich. The rich would be lost in his super effluence, and discover that he wants a new dimension to joy. Both would have targets to go for, and to both, enjoy whatever little/much you have.
Dear Paulo, thanks again such story like that! I was born in small willage and we’re a big family. When I was a child I always liked to be in city and rich. But when I was first time went to big city I reliased how peole are poor and lived in poverty both financially and emotionally. For instance, my parent buy 50kg sugar at one as ciyt is far away and they used see from their parent. We were also working together, eating together, telling story each other had luagh every night before going sleep. When I was in city, I highly disappoinment that people don’t have time each other, even memer of family! They go work, eat diffent time, watch tv and go sleep! What do think how poor thay are? I think they are! I was luck to be born in willage where I gained a lots of benefit. I was bored that time but I’m thinking now how luck and happy I was.
So true! Thank! I had the same experience!
i agree with u but i’m big in city not same u in village but i believe it.
“QUE BUENO ES VIVIR EN EL CAMPO” DONDE A CAMBIO DE TENER AIRE ACONDICIONADO, SE RESPIRA EL AIRE PURIFICADO POR LOS ARBOLES. DONDE EL RUIDO DE LAS GRANDES CIUDADES NO MOLESTA A CAMBIO EL MURMULLO DEL VIENTO SUAVE QUE NOS ALIENTA. DONDE EL TRABAJO NO ES MONOTONO SI NO MAS BIEN UN PLACER HACERLO. ” QUE LINDA LA PROVINCIA DE GUATEMALA CON SU CLIMA DE PRIMAVERA SIEMPRE FRESCO”
That is why I wonder why some people in the village are still trying to live in the city while in fact they’ve had so many things to be proud of of their village. Fresh air, green trees, fresh food and so many other things the only thing they have to acquire is have patience and hardwork to benefit for all those things that they want to achieve.
Very wonderful point of view.
Without ego, rich and poor do not exists, for we all possess everything.
When money speaks, truth keeps silent.
~ Russian Proverb
It is such a nice story Mr.Paulo, it make us realize how important the little things, but gives big impact,,, thanks again ….
I had a similar revelation when I was 17 and went on a school exchange to South America. Until that time my path was mapped out, I was a child of a capitalist society and money mattered to me. The kindness and love that a family who had nothing showed me changed my life course. I am eternally grateful.
However, I also agree with C.A.R. poverty is not solely a romantic notion. In the western world we have ALOT of opportunities. Take them, educate yourself so you have your mind, and so you spend time with your family. Educate yourself in finances and in as many areas of your life as possible so you can have options. Not options to purchase more things. But options to stylise a comfortable, altruistic life and provide your children with a diverse life, and not the “life” that is pushed by society. I believe it is possible.
Love and light.
Gostei Senhor Coehlo,rialisar o valor da vida,sao coisas piquenas. Muito obrigado Senhor!
you know what? I am so desperate that I don’t believe in anything at all. I cannot! I don’t believe in signs anymore… I don’t even believe in any good thing. We are puppets of this universe. nothing more. I tried so hard! I followed a path but I have no power left to feel or believe in something. Do you know what is worse? In the morning today, I was deeply believeing in God. and now, I am not sure of anything even my self. There is nothing left to live or believe. I am lost. I just want to die!
Selam Aysegül,
a warrior of the light may question more than once his/her path and everything around it. This is absolutely common. We can get lost, find our way back and get lost again. But never give up and keep your faith and one day you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is not important how often we fall in our lives, it is important how we arise from our failures and don’t make the same mistakes over again.
I’m sure you will find your way back.
Love&Peace,
Yilmaz
Dear Aysegul,
At least please believe in your self.
I know that all people had a time like that once in a life.
no te des por vencido pienza que existe un mañana y lo que hoy es un gran problema u pbstaculo mañala lo veras como algo insignificante. Dios existe pero no soluciona los problemas solo facilita los medios nosotros tenemos siempre la solución en las manos animate y descubrela
Then read- Veronica decides to die
Thanks for all the inspiration Mr. Coelho!
Dying will not solve anything. It will create alot of things without ends for the people who love you Aysegul. C. Please think long before you think wrong.
We have all to some extent or other experienced what you are going through Aycegul canum! You do nto need to try hard, just let it play out for itself. Life happens and our experiences only teach us to face even more experiences!
Many have felt this way. In my life there are also these moments where nothing I do seems to help me reach my aim, but through experience I have learned a valuable lesson- one that you might be facing right now.
If you know what you really want, if you have been working hard at achieving it, if you don’t give up working hard to reach it, then you will get to the point where it seems unreachable. But if then persist and start to pay attention to the things around you, you will learn that when it is right for you, something will happen and almost like a set of domino’s, everything will fall in place and you will find yourself at your goal.
Good luck
We are no puppets. There are signs and signs. Some are there to test our intuition. They lead to wrong places. A test. If in doubt shows the love the right way. God created the board, but what you are doing is leaving it to you. The game is interactive. Every possibility exists, but whether it becomes a reality depends on us. We always have a choice. In my opinion it means that your despair you are on the right track. Where there are no canyons, since there are no mountains. I’m sure you’ll find your way. It seems to me you are a warrior of light.
Thank you for your touching words.
Não fique assim, pense sempre que tudo nessa vida passa, porque nada é para sempre, o que você viveu ontem, você jamais viverá hoje,reflita o ontem e se pergunte se é a mesma coisa do hoje. Procure analisar tudo até a programação da televisão, você vai ver que é diferente.
Não queira morrer, vai ser menos um comentário que não terei pra ler. O tempo arruma tudo.
thank you all!!.. dear friends… I believe in God today and this is something good. yeah, I am a warrior of light. Perhaps I am cleaning my sins with my tears. I feel like fire: burning but shining, warm but furious.
Sooo Nice to get reminded of how much we have and should be greatfull for every now and than:) thanks
jajaja, qué bueno!!!
Again, I turn to Paulo and he never ceases to amaze. Sometimes, we do not know the riches we have or the lessons we have learned.
Esto es realmente para meditar…. la carencia de los los dos lados……muchas veces creemos tenerlo todo y no tenemos nada o creemos no tener nada y tenemos mas de lo que imaginamos….. esto nos ayuda a que intentemos ser felices con lo que tenemos en nuestro entorno…. poque a veces esa busqueda insaciable del materialismo nos hace infelices!!!!
i would only ‘”great”
In the stock market fall of 2007-08, I lost everything, including $800,000 in cash invested. I had a credit score of almost 800 and had two homes. Now I have nothing but $341 per month Social Security to live on, with the houses lost,no job, bankruptcy done. I no longer have any credit cards or bank accounts. I have discovered that there is power in poverty. One can get along very well without credit cards, and can obtain public assistance. Though I may be poor, I do not have to work anymore, which is a good thing because I can no longer tolerate having any “boss”. I have had more than enough of that for many years. Perhaps some of the lawsuits I have filed will bring me some financial recovery; if not then there is going to have to be a reliance on SSI. After 30 plus years of hard work, this is how my life is now. Many of us baby boomers were hit hard by the Wall Street/Government manipulated destruction of the economy.
Sorry to hear this.
There is this poem called “The IF poem”. You should read it. Might offer you some comfort.
My grandparents always told me this “Eventually, all we take with us is 2 planks to cover the box”. So no matter how rich or poor you are. So then I guess what matters, is what you leave behind.
And there is a saying “The sun shines even on a dogs ass”.
Never give up!!!!
Thank you Daivid! In my culture, we say: ” all you have is a foot”, i.e., the foot width of the Muslim tomb”. We tend to forget that and we tend to put everything else before our beliefs and honestly, I really find that makes us even more miserable! If only we could find a way to truly believe what we believe in!
I lost my beloved husband 9 yrs ago,had a wonderful life w/3 kids, now in their 20′s. lost almost everything we had,at first bad administration and bad decisions that I made,still struggling and can fine myself, but lately I have this knowing that all is going to be alright and after reading Paulo Coelho book lift my spirit and really I’ve had all I need thanks GOD. yes no more nice car, no more credit cards, no more big saving and no more problems..I live day by day not really knowing if tomorrow I’LL have the basics needs of every day life..but trusting on God that all is ok..MARTHA
esta hermosa esta historia!!!!
eres genial Paulo!!!!!
very nice to read and reflect on, and the image is lovely!
What a valuable lesson, something I so desperately want to and hope to teach my 12 & 3 year old boys..Beautiful
THE MOMENT IN TIME by DavidWho
You call for me in every moment that I see.
You call for me every moment that I dream of thee.
No matter where I might be, I am always always with thee.
There is no poem that can describe the things I feel.
There is no painting that can picture you with all the glory.
There are no stars in the skies that captivate me like your eyes.
Nor are there winds that can blow you away from my mind.
So if this is me, writing you my Lady.
Then feel these words as they reach your heart my lady.
Feel passion I have sent with them.
Feel the love in which I have dipped all these words over and over again.
Feel my arms around you now when they embrace you.
Feel my heart raging in my chest as it calls for you.
Feel my hands around your fine neck as they follow its lines.
And now through these words, look into my eyes like they now look into mine.
What an amazing, passionate, loving poem. I have read it through 5 times now and each time the tears just flow and flow. Beautiful.
reminds me how poor i am spiritually. Because we think only our life and we don’t see around us simple people who are happy.
thank you!
Illustration by Ken – excellent.
Thank you Appu!!
Loved it … simply loved it!
thanks for sharing such beautiful story!
Today’s urban environment has made us so materialistic that we have forgotten whats the importance of being real you.
hats of to you :)
HOLA PAULO,
QUE BONITO MENSAJE Y SI AVESES TENEMOS MUCHO Y NO LO SABEMOS VALORAR, O NUESTRO YO NO, NOS DEJA VER LA REALIDAD!!!!
!GRASIAS!
Dear Mr. Coelho, it’s very strange, but this afternoon I said son’s observation to a friend of mine, when she talked about my father’s illness. Since he was paralyzed and he wasn’t able to eat, to move and to talk, everything has a different mean in my life. I look the world in a different way, I am richer than before, because now I see with my own eyes the great wealth of every day (my father’s smile, his few words, his bright and alive eyes). I’m happy because I learn the moral of your story with my life.
Dear Paulo,
it is excellent, plz write more & more story for me.
I read this story couple months ago.
It shows really how kids see the wealth not by how much money we have and what we have but how we live our lives.
beautiful! thx Paulo
i learned that ‘we’ are all rich in the name of GOD…
Lovely and poetic story, but tell that to the real poor….people. When that boy grows up he’ll soon find out that, he also has what poor people have minus the despair of hunger and homeless, the pain of not having enough to pay for doctors, medicines and school and the stigma attached to poverty.