In India, my yearly salary as a second tier experienced teacher was about $8000. My ayah earned about $600 annually. In Wilmington, I earn more at 50 than I have every earned in my life. When our friends in India ask if we can give them some money for school expenses for their kids, we tell them we can't afford it. We give to the church and to LCS a faith-based social service agency, and to Heifer Project and ELCA World Hunger, but we don't have a whole lot more, after paying the mortgage the electric the phone and cable bill car insurance and our three kids' college tuition. Some weeks we have to car pool or ride the bus because there's not enough gas in the car.
Some people get $15 worth of food stamps for the month and say it's not worth the trouble, and some people get $15 worth of food stamps and say every little bit helps. Some people say 2 pieces of chicken to feed three people for a day is not enough. If I could count the times I fed my kids "potato patties" for dinner--a couple of grated potatoes, an egg, a grated onion, a spoonful of flour, salt and pepper, fried in a little vegetable oil... They all grew up to be contributing members of society.
But we're rich. We have a roof over our heads and clothes to wear, food to eat and enough for a treat every once in a while. Our kids are in college. We both have masters degrees. My husband and I still love each other after 27 years together. We have loving family and stimulating friends. We have jobs that are meaningful to us. We have international experience, speak different languages, and Skype people in other countries. We have faith that has stood the test of time. Our bodies and minds still work and we still laugh and breathe and enjoy the sunset. We are rich.
Some people get $15 worth of food stamps for the month and say it's not worth the trouble, and some people get $15 worth of food stamps and say every little bit helps. Some people say 2 pieces of chicken to feed three people for a day is not enough. If I could count the times I fed my kids "potato patties" for dinner--a couple of grated potatoes, an egg, a grated onion, a spoonful of flour, salt and pepper, fried in a little vegetable oil... They all grew up to be contributing members of society.
But we're rich. We have a roof over our heads and clothes to wear, food to eat and enough for a treat every once in a while. Our kids are in college. We both have masters degrees. My husband and I still love each other after 27 years together. We have loving family and stimulating friends. We have jobs that are meaningful to us. We have international experience, speak different languages, and Skype people in other countries. We have faith that has stood the test of time. Our bodies and minds still work and we still laugh and breathe and enjoy the sunset. We are rich.
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