There was once a young boy who lived with his wealthy family. One day, his father decided to take him on a trip to the countryside. The goal of this journey was to show his son how people with much less fortune live their lives.
After arriving at a farm belonging to what the father considered to be a very poor family, they spent several days there. When they returned home, the father was eager to hear his son’s thoughts on the trip.
“Did you enjoy the trip?” the father asked.
“Oh, it was wonderful, Dad,” the boy answered enthusiastically.
“Did you notice how poor people live?” the father inquired.
“Yes, I did,” the boy responded.
Curious to hear more, the father asked his son to describe his impressions in detail.
“Well, we have just one dog, but they have four. We have a pool in our garden, but they have a river that seems endless. We have expensive lanterns, but they have the stars at night. We have a patio, but they enjoy the entire horizon. We have a small piece of land, while they have vast fields. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have a high fence for protection, but they don’t need one as their friends protect them.”
The father was left speechless, stunned by his son’s perspective.
As the father stood in silence, the boy added thoughtfully, “Thank you, Dad, for showing me just how poor we really are.”
