Children only know what they are taught; their experiences are limited, so their foundations are shaped by those who raise them their parents. For this reason, parents ought to broaden their own horizons, so they have more to share and teach their children.
One day, a father decided to give his son a lesson about life. He wanted to show the boy how fortunate they were, and so he planned a trip to the countryside. The father thought the visit would help his son appreciate what they had, and encourage him to become more thoughtful and enterprising in the future. When the boy compared their home to the rural cottage, however, he came to quite unexpected conclusions.
The father had spent his whole life building up his wealth, starting from scratch, and hoped his son would see it, so he wouldn’t have to endure the same hardships. The man wanted his son to understand the vast difference between the rich and the less fortunate. So, one day, he took his son to spend time with a family who had little. They spent several days and nights there. The boy worked with them, went to bed early, rose with the dawn, and didnt use his phone or computer at all.
On the drive home, the father asked, Did you enjoy everything? Dad, it was brilliant, replied the boy, making his father smile with pride.
Did you see how the less fortunate live? the father asked, expecting his son to comment on how much better off they were.
Oh, absolutely! said the boy.
So, what did you learn? the father inquired.
The boy answered:
I noticed they have four dogs, while we have one. We have a four-metre swimming pool, but they have a flowing stream that never ends. We put up garden lights, but they have the stars shining overhead. Our garden ends at a gate; theirs stretches forever. We’ve a small patch of land, but they have boundless fields. Our house is guarded by walls for safety, but their friends come running to help at the first sign of trouble.
The father was speechless stunned by his sons perspective. The trip hadnt just been valuable for the boy; it was a revelation for him, too. Then his son added:
This journey showed me how poor we actually are.
Have you ever considered such questions? Is happiness about material wealth? Each of us has our own view, and its not right to blame others for theirs, but I believe this boys story offers us all a valuable lesson. He managed to see lifes true treasures. Sometimes we need to look at the world through a childs eyes, let go of old notions, and realise that richness is measured by more than money.
