The Price of Poverty

The Price of Poverty

A Story by Olu Dumare

"Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor."
-James Baldwin

These are very true words yet more than often it is because the heart and mind are impoverished, the body simply reflects this inner state. The soul that sees, is never in poverty and the fluxuation in currencies and income rarely affect his/her resolve in the slightest. However, if the heart is impoverished, the soul will inherit this destitution. The statement, paradoxical in nature, reflects a larger issue - the psychological defense mechanism created by the poor to not feel impoverished, even if they are. I know a man who chose to struggle much longer than he had to because he was embarrassed to ride the bus. It was indicative of the inferiority complex that plagues the poor. If you're poor you can't look poor. Many people use public transportation daily for its many benefits: it's cheap, it helps the eco-system by eliminating the amount of cars on the rode, if you do have a car it will be saved from excessive wear and tear, etc. However, there is a difference between "having" to ride the bus and "choosing" to ride the bus and the pauper fears appearing ro be in "need" of the public transportation. The same can be said of clothes, jewelry and most definitely sneakers. Most often, the poorest people wear the most expensive clothes. Most poor people have no idea what real wealth is because the closest they've ever come to it is images of opulence on their TV screens. So instead of seeking land, farm animals, community makeovers dictated by the citizens, savings, etc., they choose expensive sneakers and knock-off designer wear to give the impression of wealth. It's not necessarily expensive to be poor, it's expensive to be poor and try to appear wealthy. It's expensive to be poor yet still have a desire to satisfy ever desire. Poor and rich are just terms for the man of contemplation. If the man with wealth is content, he'll have peace, if the man of few means is content, he'll have inner peace. Poverty is a view not necessarily a condition. At least not in America. You can have very little means and still have a roof over your head, clothes on your back and food in your stomach. It's expenisve to be poor if your heart prays to be rich.     

© 2019 Olu Dumare


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Added on July 17, 2019
Last Updated on July 17, 2019

Author

Olu Dumare
Olu Dumare

About
A Mystic, Poet, Author, Father, Son, Seeker, Sufi, Wanderer, Traveler, Lover, Fighter, Peaceful Warrior....I embody the totality of human experience. I am a conveyer of light and conduit of metaphysic.. more..

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