There was once a boy whose family was quite wealthy. One day, his father decided to take him on a trip to the countryside. The goal was to show his son how people with fewer resources live.
They arrived at a farm owned by what the father deemed a poor family. They spent several days there, absorbing the simple lifestyle. On their journey back home, the father asked his son if he enjoyed the trip.
“Oh, it was fantastic, Dad,” the boy responded with enthusiasm.
Curious, the father inquired, “Did you notice how poor people live?”
“Yeah, I did,” the boy replied.
The father wanted to hear more details about his son’s impressions from the trip.
“Well,” the boy began, “we have only one dog, but they have four. We have a small swimming pool in our garden, but they have a river that seems endless. At night, we use fancy lanterns, but they have the stars. We have a small patio, and they have the entire horizon. Our piece of land is tiny, while they have vast fields. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. For protection, we have a high fence, but they don’t need one, as their friends look out for them.”
The father was speechless, stunned by his son’s insightful observations.
After a pause, the boy added, “Thank you, Dad, for showing me just how poor we really are.”