Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Money brings out the ugly in so many

I understand being mad and frustrated...totally.  But completely being indecent and rude is just not okay.  Nothing makes someone more low class than to be constantly in judgment of others while singing the praises of yourself.

If you read our local newspaper there's a particular topic that has hit the hot buttons of so many here.  And it pertains to money....imagine that.  The thing I just don't get is the constant ridicule.  There's one particular person who is judging someone else there because she doesn't make much money and is upset about a loss in partial pay because she, alone, is raising her two children and cannot get the child support she needs to help her.  I don't know her, so I don't pretend to know if she's telling the truth or not, but she doesn't have a crazy, ridiculous story and isn't really putting anyone else down just venting about her particular circumstances.  So I have no reason not to believe she is in those circumstances.  The other person there is preaching to her that she should have bettered herself and pulled herself out of that job into better pay, etc.  She is making sure that all people who read those comments are well aware of her view that her money is not making much interest because of the middle class citizens wanting to be like the upper class and living beyond their means.  She has touted herself as coming from a poor family, enduring child abuse and working to get an education completely by herself and being completely self sufficient.

Again, I don't know this person, so could be a real story, could be fake...who knows...who cares.  The point is that she's so blinded by her own pride in herself that she thinks everyone can and is awarded the same opportunities and should make the same choices as herself.  I get the impression that she has no children as she doesn't seem particularly sympathetic of those with and is touting her and her spouses ability to just have love.  Seems a little contradictory.  Maybe the single mother was happy to be just paying her bills and have the love of her two children?  Why should money be the be all end all?  Does money make some differences...of course.   I'm not naive.  And I take offense to the statement that it's not the upperclass or poor putting us all in this situation.  It's everyone in every class.  You'll find citizens in every class wanting more.  Isn't that the American dream?  I guess for some anyways.

We're perfect middle class examples.  I think there are too many blames to lay for this crisis and don't even want to try to pinpoint it right now.  But, responsibility in ourselves would be a #1 for all to follow.  We don't live beyond our means.  We have a home loan....not bad on our income with 5 kids.  We chose to adopt and have more children over living the typical American dream or socking all of our money away for a rainy day that may never come.  We always knew we would never regret our children, but would regret not having them.  Other than paying for the adoptions and paying our bills after we added each of our children, money was not a major consideration.  I have to say with my $200/month paycut coming in January due to this massive change and the possibility (quite possible I'm afraid to actually say here) the kids are the best thing I come home to (and of course my husband) and they make me feel better.  I don't feel empty knowing we won't be able to stay in budget any longer and have no room to move anything out of our budget.  I feel full when I walk in the door to a little boy that lights up and yell's "mommy" the second I enter.  That's better than anything.  I'm ticked at the changes and I'm scared to death, but I have my family and they truly are what I need.

Considering this is coming from a HUGE budget freak that has always worried about money and preparing for the future this is big.  I can honestly say that I will do what we need to do to pay what we can when the time comes and still get the medical care our kids need, but THEY make everything okay.  THEY make my life worth it and I feel for those that don't get to feel this euphoria of love.  Such as this poor lady commenting in the paper.  Prayers for her please.  I feel she needs them.

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