To be rich or to be happy?
I have seen lately that people have discussed about being
poor and about being rich and be able to get everything you want.
poor and about being rich and be able to get everything you want.
I've discussed with some people about being "to poor" to help
others, who for real don't have anything compared to us.
I wanted now to share something that's among the happiest
times of my life.
I wanted now to share something that's among the happiest
times of my life.
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2010 when I went to Ethiopia for the first time, in order to visit
the boyfriend I had back then, then we lived in a little room,
that was smaller than 25 square meters. Most people in Finland
can't live on such a small area. All we had was a bed. We also
had a toilet, and a shower. The toilet didn't always work, there
can't live on such a small area. All we had was a bed. We also
had a toilet, and a shower. The toilet didn't always work, there
were bugs on the floor and on the walls. The shower only had cold
water. For many this sounds like a nightmare. But you know, it
was some charm in having those bugs on the walls, to shower every
morning and evening in cold water. I felt rich and relieved. Because I
water. For many this sounds like a nightmare. But you know, it
was some charm in having those bugs on the walls, to shower every
morning and evening in cold water. I felt rich and relieved. Because I
didn't need anything but somewhere to sleep and somewhere to
shower etc. I felt happy that I didn't have any stuff but my clothes.
I didn't feel any anxiety or such, as you sometimes can feel due to
all stuff we've got. That was one of the happiest times in my life. When
I just existed, when I loved, when I lived.
I didn't feel any anxiety or such, as you sometimes can feel due to
all stuff we've got. That was one of the happiest times in my life. When
I just existed, when I loved, when I lived.
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When I went to India, I was living with my penfriend's family, it's nothing
that we Finns are used to either. We usually slept on the floor the entire family,
I got bitten by mosquitos all the time, and it was nothing like the mosquitos that
I got bitten by mosquitos all the time, and it was nothing like the mosquitos that
we have here in Finland, because my arms and legs got really swollen and it was
itching like crazy. The toilet wasn't anything like we're used to in Finland (and most
itching like crazy. The toilet wasn't anything like we're used to in Finland (and most
parts of Europe) it wasn't a "western toilet". So everything was new for me. We didn't
eat from plates, we ate from banana leafs with our hands and the electricity was away
for at least 4 hours every day, in order for the government to save. You should think of
that we had a heat of +40-45 degrees every day, when the power went off, then we couldn't
have any fans or any Air conditioners on (which my family didn't have yet). But I
actually enjoyed that too. You don't need to have all stuff we have to be happy.
You just need your family.That is what I've learned, and what I have always believed.
When thinking of: what are the happiest memories and moments from life,
then Ethiopia and India is among them, even that I didn't live luxarious when
it comes to compare to "EU quality". But according to me, I couldn't have lived
it comes to compare to "EU quality". But according to me, I couldn't have lived
better. These memories are a part of me, a week doesn't pass without me thinking back
on these times. They made me happy, even that it was simple.
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Where there is love, there is richness.
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p.s. I know that being poor is not easy, it's not a dance on roses. Not for
people who are poor in developing countries and not for us who are poor
in the developed countries. But I think we should try to define to ourselves,
people who are poor in developing countries and not for us who are poor
in the developed countries. But I think we should try to define to ourselves,
what is it to be poor? Am I poor, or am I rich in other things, that matters
more? I mean as long as we somehow can make a living, we have people
we love around us, it should be okey. I also believe that we could instead
of buying something unecessary every week, we put that money e.g. as
a donation to help someone who needs it. Not that it necessarily has to
be money, but anything can help. Nobody is too poor to help, nobody is
be money, but anything can help. Nobody is too poor to help, nobody is
too rich to not care.
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