Are There Good Qualities To Gain From Being Poor?

Are there good qualities to gain from being poor? Or should I say less fortunate? 

It may sound a bit crass, but it's ever so true. Just think about it for a minute; if a person was born into wealth it might be hard identifying with someone of limited means, especially if you've never been around it. Wealthy people could possibly only hang with other wealthy people; same goes for the less fortunate -- which helps you understand the disconnect. People usually hang with those in their immediate surroundings.

A wealthy person is use to eating the finest foods, sleeping in the finest homes and hotels, wearing the finest clothes, vacationing whenever the mood hits them, while spending excessively without a budget. This person is financially stable and will never understand the struggle and pain of not knowing how their bills will be paid, where they'll get their next meal, or how they'll survive. The only way they'd understand is if they too have come from humble beginnings.

Then there's "Skid Row" where people are so use to struggle, that it becomes a common ritual. These people live paycheck to paycheck, struggle to put food on the table, and have break downs from built-up stress and depression. These people work 2-3 jobs just to care for their families. These people never have enough time to spend with their children, and so desperately need a helping hand. But these same people have the best quality of character and heart therefore, retaining the number one spot of compassion.

Qualities gained as a result of being less fortunate:

1) Humbleness - comes through struggle and sacrifice. When you're not use to having, you learn to appreciate what you do have. When you do better, you never forget the struggle that got you where you are. 

2) Creativity - stems from your imagination. When you have limited means and can't afford lessons or activities, you adapt by making up your own fun things to do. Can't afford piano, guitar, or swimming lessons, so you invent/create things therefore -- becoming self-sufficient.

3) Unique Sense of Style -  Name brand clothes? Ha! Yea, okay. So you buy what you can afford or "create" your own outfit, ultimately creating your own style.

4) Self-Expression - Some of our best music have come from struggle, and wonderful poetry and books. When you listen to artists' songs, you hear their stories of struggle and pain and how they used their experience through self-expression to dig them out of their hole.

5) Hardworking - The less fortunate works the hardest to catch up. Their jobs usually don't pay enough and are close-ended career wise, so another job is added to balance the rising costs of products.

6) Spiritual - Always and forever giving God the glory for allowing you to make it another day. For allowing you to wake up, to have all your 5 senses, and workable limbs, to bless you with a roof over your head, food in your belly, and clothes on your back. Most people know there is a higher power; and for that the lord is praised for lifting the load when it becomes to much to bare.

7) Loving - In less fortunate homes love is your riches. Love is what holds a family together in good times and in bad. If the struggle becomes to much, the love of family and good friends will keep a smile on your face. It's the family gatherings at Grandma's house, or a big family cook-out in the park that keep us close at heart and bonded in the family traditions of our ancestors.

These are qualities I've discovered through personal experiences and research. It would be interesting to see a fortunate person and less fortunate person, switch environments so their experiences can be used as a study guide.

2008 LA