A wealthy father sent his kid to live with a peasant family for a few days in the mountains because he wanted his son to understand what it was like to be impoverished. In their country home, they stayed for three days and two nights.
As they drove back to the city, the father questioned his son, "What did you think of the experience?" The son answered, "Beautiful," his eyes averted from the road. "And... what have you learned?" the father continued.
In response, the son said:
- They have four dogs, whilst we have one.
- They have an unending river with crystal clear water where there are little fish and other wonders, while we have a swimming pool with stagnant water that extends halfway into the yard.
- While they light themselves with the stars and moon, we bring torches from the East to light our garden.
- Their yard extends to the horizon, whereas ours reaches to the fence.
- We purchase our food, but they plant and harvest it.
- We play CDs, which play a never-ending symphony of birds, parrots, frogs, toads, insects, and other little creatures.
- Even though we use an electric stove to cook, everything we eat has the delicious flavor of wood-fired cooking.
- We live encircled by a wall with alarms to keep us safe. Because their neighbors are kind, they feel safe living with their doors open.
- They are connected to life, the sky, the light, the water, the verdant mountains, the animals, their crops, their families, and most importantly, God. We are connected to our mobile phones, computers, and televisions.
The father was moved by his kid's candor, and the youngster thanked him for showing how impoverished they are.
We are becoming less and less appreciative of nature every day. Rather of caring about being, we stress about having and more having.