Is poverty really just a state of mind?
For dinner, my husband and I were invited to the home of a Dominican man and his sister. This was quite a humbling experience. To say they were poor is an understatement. Our hearts were breaking as we took in their living conditions. We fought back tears as we learned that the woman (who shared this home with her brother), told us she could not send her 12 year old twin sons to school because she couldn't afford pencils or books for them.
Even though they have absolutely nothing of material value, they cooked what little food they had with great pride. There wasn't very much to eat, but I must say, it was the biggest feast I have ever eaten!!! The fact that this woman has an infection in her legs, was in pain and had to use crutches added to the emotions we were already experiencing.
After serving us with great pride and unbelievable joy, they asked us to pray with them to thank God because they were finally able to patch up their roof enough so that they could stay dry when it rains. They were incredibly happy about this! We were so touched to be treated like royalty. Their joy and contentment was infectious!! 
So, I was wondering, first of all, if anyone has shared a similar experience? Also, I know poverty is a very real thing which causes grief, suffering and even death all over the world. But with that being said, why could these siblings be so content and overjoyed with a "somewhat" non-leaking roof and with what little they had? Why do some of us have so much more, but yet, are never content? This really has me pondering the question of whether or not poverty and wealth can also be a state of mind?
I would love to hear your thoughts!! 
31 Answers
Poverty is not a state of mind, but happiness is. Those who seek happiness in material possessions will always be unhappy. The true path to happiness is to learn how to not want.
It is 3:10 AM here. I just woke up and came to this site because I couldn't sleep. I've been back from Mexico over a month now and I still see images in my mind and dreams. Most of them are from an area well into the rural mountains outside Tapachula where we stayed for a few days, and where wealth is measured by having a place to sleep at night.
I can't get a few images out of my mind. First, the poverty of the people. But most important, their sense of thankfulness and community. I wish I could feel that same sense at my home. They enjoyed being together and were thankful. Association with them was uplifting. Though they had little, they gave their best food and hospitality to us willingly. It was difficult to receive. In fact, I lost a lot of weight there because I could not eat when I saw their need. But they had joy in giving.
When we left, a beautiful young woman that grows coffee there had our entire team and community together and gave us all about two pounds of coffee each. Speaking in Spanish (of course) to the group, she apologized because that was the only thing she had to give us. She didn't know the gift she gave us that day was exactly what we wanted.
To them, we were a blessing. But to us, they were unforgettable.
I think that being poor is a state of mind. It always gripes me when I hear aid organisations trying to raise money for people who "live off of less than $1 per day." I used to live in Mongolia and I lived off of less than $1 per day and didn't feel the least bit poor. I had a place to live, food to eat, water to drink, and friends to enjoy it with. I knew lots of people who were herders and hardly ever had money. They just traded the things they had (milk, meat, wool) for the things they needed (eggs, potatoes, clothes). Every time I met one of those people, they always had a smile and offered me tea and snacks. If I went to their place for a meal, they served me first and most. I never once heard anyone say anything about being poor or lament their lot in life.
I most certainly agree with this.
I have had lots of experience with this. I often teach private classes and sometimes go to homes. So there was this family living in a not too nice neighbourhood. well they lived in rather awkward conditions.
The "living room" was what I call in my flat the entrance hall, very small, just a very small sofa and two chairs...that was the living rooom
They had 6 children! 
The 8 of them somehow fit into three bedrooms, one can tell they used what was the original living room as a bedroom.
I really have no idea how that could afford private tutoring...but they just wanted to give their oldest son a chance I guess.
So they always offered me something to drink , and they always gave me a cookie or something with it. They had this beautifully hand knit thing for napkins, and I once said , oh, what a nice napkin holder, I wish I could knit that nicely.
the next day, the mother had knit a napkin holder for me....and it was one of the best presents I ever got.
I also teach very rich children, trust me, the parents don't even say thank you when the kid gets an A.
Once upon a time a king was ill, and according to his wise man he would heal if he put on the shirt of the happiest man on earth. Everybody was looking for the man and he was found, but he was so poor, that hadn't any shirt.
Érase una vez un rey enfermo y segun su sabio (consejero) habria podido curarse si se ponia la camisa del hombre mas dichoso del mundo. Todos buscaron al hombre mas feliz, y lo encontraron, pero el no tenia ninguna camisa.
Dogwood said:
Though they had little, they gave their best food and hospitality to us willingly. It was difficult to receive.
I know why it is difficult for him to get images of some of the poverty in Mexico out of his mind. Of course there is poverty in every country. We have many living on the street and in shelters (if they're lucky) in my city. However, coming face to face by sharing a meal with someone you know who probably can't afford it is extremely humbling.
Our dinner consisted of spaghetti, papas, huevos reveultos y mangu (a Dominican version of mashed plantains). I would say that the total amount of food served was what I would make for two people and there were five of us in total. However, the conversation and fellowship shared around the table was more than enough to fill our hearts and left us feeling like we ate like royalty.
Tonight we are having goat served by Haitians, which is a bit out of my husband's comfort zone. This should be interesting. I have so much more to share but only small pockets of time. I'll be back with more details.
Yes, I strongly believe that inner peace and contentment could lead to genuine happiness..
Poverty is not a state of mind, but happiness is.
There is a correlation between wealth and happiness, but up to a certain point. Above certain level, more money does not necesarily means more happiness.
If I won 20 thousand dollars in the lottery, I would be glad. But if a billionaire won them, maybe he would not even notice it.
Besides, wealth is somehow relative. In a research, some students were asked to pick an option:
a) Earn 50 thousand dollars a year, in a country where all win 100 thousand dollars.
b) Earn 25 thousand dollars a year in a country where everybody else win just 10 thousand dollars.
Incredibly, a great number of students answered b.
Heidi said:
I also teach very rich children, trust me, the parents don't even say thank you when the kid gets an A.
This is so true and frustrates the living daylights out of me (an idiom I'm not sure if everyone will get )
People who are blessed above and beyond can be so rude and demanding and expect everything to be handed to them. I know there are many generous rich people. That is one of the reasons I am here in the DR to even share this story. But for the most part, those of us who have so much should learn a lesson from those who are grateful for little they have.
I don't think poverty or a lack of it is the reason people don't count their blessings. Some rich people are proud and stingy: some poor people are envious and resentful. On the other hand, some rich people are generous and loving, and some poor people are happy and grateful for what they have. Having said that I would agree that being rich is more likely to make one evil than being poor. It says in the Bible that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.
Se dice que el dinero no trae la felicidad, pero cuando se va, se la lleva. Esta es la verdad. En cuanto de ser un hombre malo o bueno por ser rico o pobre, pues creo que hay gente mala en todas las "clases sociales". Así que no hay que generalizar. No todos los pobres son buenos y no todos los ricos son malos. (Y no era mejor en tiempos viejos.)
Hi! thank you for sharing your inspiring experience. Your friends don't feel poors poor because they have inner peace and happiness. Money is important, but it's not everything. There are many rich people alone, sad and sick, they their tables are full of food but they their hearts are empty (or full of hate). Some time ago, I didn't even have a table to serve the food. But I didn't care, thank's thank God, I could got get some food for my friends coming to visit me. Yes, they were there for me and my family, so I served the food on a big cardboard box and we enjoyed an unforgettable dinner .
Well l don't really have a personal experience with this but one of the situations that happened to me in life and still can't forget is l was once going to a women who fixes clothes ( this is a popular job here, her job is to make the cloth short or tight or anything!), l was searching for her small flat between the very small houses, that's when l entered one of those houses asking for her, l saw a very very old woman the door of her house was opened and even broken it can't be really closed! she stayed in only one room , it was a very small room it only had a sofa and small table as l remember, the women was sitting there smiling she was really happy, and when l asked her if she knew the one l'm looking for she answered me very kindly, she was happy fearing nothing! although she has a broken door and anybody can enter, but she actually didn't have anything to worry about! she was just happy!
That view really touched me, because l'm always being picky about things, but looking at her, l must say l was definitely wrong! 
I think poverty from lack of material things is often mistake by the west as sign of unhappiness. This is not so as you can walk into a village or town of very underdeveloped countries and be amazed at how happy they are. To me the worse kind of poverty is the lack of being wanted and cared for as a human being. Even the rich can suffer this and in any nation. To me this is the disease being suffered most in the world today and no amount of money can cure it. Its only cure... LOVE & COMPASSION!
Poverty is a just a standard that society gives people who live below average living standards. However, alot of people who live poverty are very happy. That old saying: Things can't make you happy.
