Poverty

Poverty has a lot of different levels depending on what country you live in and your own standard of living. Everybody always feel they need more. In these shaky economic times I hear a lot of recession-panic in peoples talk. But when I look around me, I see enormous wealth. Flashy cars, huge houses, overflowing shopping-carts, people carrying pretty shopping-bags with expensive labels on them. These are apparently the people who are hit the worst by recession - I can't see it. For other people; the ones who shop in the cheap places, do their hair at home, live in small houses, drive little used cars, they are not touched by the recession except for two things: rent and employment. As long as that is stable, nothing really changes, you need money to feel recession.
I went to a conference where it was said; (quote) "We will have to lower our standard of living and accept that our grown children might need to move back home" (end of quote)
The lowered standard of living is way higher than any normal standard.
For my friend the cleaning lady, nothing changed. She is "cheap" labour, so people keep her on. To her it is necessary that her 2 adult children live at home, that is how they manage to pay their bills.

Okay, I am pushing buttons here. Personally I don't really have an opinion about what people choose to do. My opinions consider larger questions, such as the philosophy of things.

Poverty/affluence vs. respect.
Interesting topic. The biggest fear of most people is poverty, loosing it all. Poverty is difficult, poverty is shameful.
The richer a person seems/looks, the more respect he gets....no denying that. The poorer a person seems/looks, the less he is respected. This never fails to astonish me; Since being poor is so difficult that everybody fears it, there should be great respect for the people who handle it, even if they have no choice.
Cleverness has nothing to do with education, nor does survival. Being able to feed a large family on almost no money is to be respected. To work a shit-job that wears you down mentally and physically day after day is to be respected. To dance and sing when you are hungry and sick is to be respected. To walk on sore feet for miles because it is necessary is to be respected.

I am not rich, I am not even affluent - considering the society I live in. But I am lucky and I am comfortable. I am not always safe, but I am clever and strong. I can always make it because I am not afraid to work hard. Sometimes, when I ride the train, (from the train you always see the worst adresses/places of living.) I look at the housing of the poor people, those who have nothing, and I am so greatful for what I have. I imagine myself and my 4 children in a 1 or 2 room appartment. I look at the yard where my children would be forced to play, and think that from this, the worst place, I would be evicted if I could not pay my rent, if I lost my job. That this, the worst place, could be considered heaven.
This must be the worst situation of all.
I give thanks for my abundance, even if it is small. I give thanks for the food I eat, the roof over my head, the song in my heart and the health of my children. Every day I stop and realize my gratitude. And every day I watch the "invisible" people with great respect.