What is Prosperity?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

In a discussion last night I was trying to show friends that the big house, new cars, etc. all of which carry heavy costs naturally was not the only definition of prosperity.

Any input?

-- John Getson (jggetson@auracom.com), April 08, 2001

Answers

To me prosperity is looking at what you have and not what you don't have or need to have. Its knowing that there is a piece of mind, that material things just don't count. I was a bit materialistic until we purchased our farm here 6 yrs ago. There was nothing here except for a creek and an old tobacco barn. It was perfect, nestled in the woods, on a dirt road and it seemed like heaven! We had to really count our blessings and pennies to make this happen. Lived without electricity for 2 and 1/2 yrs until we got the house finished. that was when i realized that material wealth is not important. i often miss those days, we were not hurting in any way, in fact I think we had more then.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), April 08, 2001.

Couldn't agree with you more John! It's a little harder to convince folks of that (even family members) when you live in the heart of the city but have a homestead heart. Folks just don't get it. For me prosperity is a love for God, family, my fellow neighbor, God's creation, raising respectable, capable chilldren, good health, making enough money to sustain your family with a roof over their head, food on the table and clothes on their back. And that doesn't mean a 4 bedroom 3 bath double car garage swimming pool in the backyard house, Filet mignon every night, or Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Loren, Polo, Nike, DKNY etc on your back! Simple = prosperity for me! Great post John. I wish you all the peace that YOUR definition of prosperity can bring to you.

-- Greenthumbelina (sck8107@aol.com), April 08, 2001.

Prosperity is going to bed every night, knowing in your heart that you were a good person that day. Prosperity is knowing that you have done right by your children (ie: "Whats with these recycle laws Mom, haven't we always done that, dosen't everybody?")Prosperity is giving an old lady a ride home from the grocery store. Prosperity is (10yrs later)your SON (with a car full of friends) giving the SAME old lady a ride home from the grocery store, because well, she needed a ride. Prosperity is plowing your neighbors driveway, and NOT taking the $20 silver certificate. Prosperity is making lasagna for the neighbor who has cancer/a new baby, etc. Prosperity is "not counting other peoples money", just cause they act like they have it, dosen't mean they do, and even if they do-it dosen't mean they're happy.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), April 08, 2001.

Great answers every one!

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), April 08, 2001.

Prosperity. What I have right now. More is on the way so's I can help more people. In the end it isn't what we have to divide up amongst relatives---i'ts what we have done for others -with what He's given us. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), April 08, 2001.


I once read in a church program that "We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values" There was more written, but my typing can be really bad so I wont attempt to print the whole thing. We all should be thankful for what we have....family, friends and (hopefully) health!!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), April 08, 2001.

To me prosperity is knowing when enough is enough. If I have enough food in the house plus enough to bake bread for my neighbor then I have enough. If I have two dozen eggs and can give one dozen to my friend, then I have enough. I find that giving stuff away increases my "wealth", not decreases it.

Another thing I've noticed is that people who "appear" to have money usually don't. Has anyone read "The Millionaire Next Door"?

Thanks for reading. Dianne in Mass

-- Dianne Bone (dianne.bone@usa.net), April 08, 2001.


Lots of wonderful answers here!!! Contentment with what I have, who I am, and how I am living my life is prosperity to me. Having the grace to see beyond my own needs and see the needs of others sometime.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 08, 2001.

John, Your post makes me think of a scene from "The Beverly Hillbillies".

Jed Clampett: Pearl, what d'ya think? Think, I oughta move?

Cousin Pearl: Jed, how can ya even ask? Look around ya. Yer eight miles from yer nearest neighbor. Yor overrun with skunks, possums, coyotes, bobcats. Ya use kerosene lamps for light and ya cook on a wood stove summer and winter. Yer drinkin' homemade moonshine and washin' with homemade lye soap, And yo bathroom is fifty feet from the house and you ask "Should I move?" Jed: I reckon yor right. A man'd be a dang fool to leave all this! NOW THATS PROSPERITY! Sincerely, Ernest http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks

-- Ernest in the Ozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), April 09, 2001.


I love that scene from the Beverly hillbillies. I always related and understood where ole Jed was coming from. One of my favorites is" No lower can a man decend than to interpet his dreams in gold and silver.I think that quote is from Kahil Gibran, not sure. Hope all of you are having a wonderful day sherry

-- sherry (chickadee259@yahoo.com), April 09, 2001.


Thanks to all who have answered so far. It gives me more info for the next 'discussion', can't quite call it a battle yet, but oh, so close.

would really appreciate any other input, particulalrly from those who ae usually lurking. Time to clear your throat and speak outfor what you believe, eh

Take care And Live Well... The Way Nature Intended.

JOhn

-- John Getson (jggetson@auracom.com), April 11, 2001.


My husbands brother and his wife are up to their arm pits in debt. New fancy house with 3 car garage, new cars, 4 wheelers, boats, the whole supossed american dream. He said one day that he could not miss a pay check or they would be in terrible trouble. When i laughed he got mad. What was so funny he asked. I told him he was never going to enjoy his toys and keep up with the jones if he had to work all the time to pay for them. He didn't have much to say. He laughed at the car we bought for a few hundred dollars. I said "hey, what is your monthly payment"? Again not much to say. Lots of people laugh at the way i live, but i am happy and as long as my family has what they need to survive who cares about the rest. Stuff is just stuff. It takes up space so you have to have a big house to keep it in. It clutters your life and makes you feel smothered. And after all you can't take it with you. I could write a book, but you all get my point.

-- Marie (imacountrygirl4ever@yahoo.com), April 12, 2001.

Marie, I know just exactly what you're saying. Some of my "friends" think we must have lost our minds. "What do you mean your car is 12 years old? Why don't you get a new one?" Why should we buy a new one when the old one is still alive and well? I recently decided to remodeling my kitchen after living here for 22 years. My stove is on the verge of dying, so I thought I'd make some other changes. The estimate we got was for $30,000!!! That's more than we paid for the whole house!! I don't expect it to be free, but $30,000!! I don't think I'll "invest" that much because I know we'd never re-coup that if we sold the house. I think I'll just replace the stove when it dies and live with my okay kitchen. Then, if we sell, let someone else have the headache of remodeling the kitchen.

-- Dianne in Mass (dianne.bone@usa.net), April 13, 2001.

I'm new here and hope it's ok to post. We lived in the city 25 years ago and wanted out. We moved to Northern Iowa with our year old son and took a cut in salary by 1/2 and have never had much money in the bank since :) We're on an acreage and have had almost every animal you can imagine. We garden, can and live a simple lifestyle....by choice!! In time our daughter came along but now both children are grown and on their own. They are nice kids but don't enjoy the simple life like we do. Our brothers and sisters also have "everything" and make/made big money in their jobs. My one brother worked for a large well known oil company and got a "golden umbrella retirement" about 6 years ago at maybe 52 years old. He said it was a big amount of money and if he said it was big I can't begin to imagine how much it must have been.

Through the years we've compared our lifestyle with each other and sometimes the discussions got heated. In the end we all realized none of us were going to change the others way of thinking and we could fight and argue about it until the cows came home. We now just enjoy seeing each other when we can, which is not often as we're scattered all over the country. Another thing that helps, is we're all in our 50's and have each learned that PROSPERITY is living the lifestyle you love. Be it in the city, country or suburbs and working to earn money to make payments on all your toys and vacations or living off the land with animals and gardens and too busy and no money to travel.

So, even though we have very little money we are very prosperous in living the life we love and they feel very prosperous living their lives.

Phew I'm sorry, I didn't mean to preach or go on forever.

Thanks,

Anna in IA

-- Anna in Iowa (countryanna54@hotmail.com), April 14, 2001.


Prosperity is time. We try to stay at or below poverty levels when it comes to income. This rewards us with time to enjoy those things which are free. Things...who needs em. Ever hear that song that mentions ' ever see a hearse with luggage racks' ... think about it.

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), April 15, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ