A Christmas letter to my friends who are poor:
My Dear Ones,
Please do not listen to this world. Please tell your children not to listen to this world.
You are more valuable than the number of dollars in your pocket.
You are loved because of your love, not because you can buy gifts and fill a stocking with things soon forgotten. The love you show your children will never be forgotten.
You are allowed to be joyful. You are allowed to laugh out loud, hug your friends, have a drink, go on a date, fall in love, and live a life that is full of happiness.
Your fear and worry are real. You struggle everyday. But never let the worry, fear or struggle convince you that you have failed.
On the contrary —
You and your children are surviving something so difficult that it is hard for those with great wealth to fathom. You have learned to laugh around a dinner table with your children while they share potatoes and you eat nothing. Leaving them with memories of their family talking and laughing while eating their evening meal together.
You have learned humility. Though this world often associates humility with weakness, low self-esteem, a lack of courage and self-confidence, the world is wrong. Humility requires strength of character and is a major component in building a strong sense of self and finding true happiness.
You stretch a dollar and juggle funds with great skill. Don’t underestimate yourself and the amount of savvy that this takes.
You are not alone. Tearful moments when the worry and stress from lack of money become too much can be isolating. The insecurity in everyday life can be crushing — not knowing if you will have a home, heat, food, medicine, a running vehicle, or gas to get to work; not knowing if your hours will be cut, your refrigerator will quit, or your child will have a birthday present.
These worries can be so overwhelming that we forget who we are. We forget that we know how to draw, that we won a spelling bee, that we know a million jokes, that we can cross our eyes and touch the tips of our noses with our tongues. We forget that we can laugh until we cry and can make others do the same. We forget that for some people, we are the reason why their eyes light up when we walk into a room.
But most important is we forget that for our children, WE are the world. What they see in us is what they see in themselves. You can be poor and be a good role model to your children. Show them that money doesn’t make you who you are. Show them diligence, hard work, loyalty, courage, determination, and a happy heart in dark times. If you let them see that you are afraid, show them that fear doesn’t outweigh your love for them. Teach them teamwork. Teach them ingenuity. Show them that a kindness received is always a kindness returned.
Most of all, know that each of you touches my heart in a way that is inspiring and changes my life for the better, every single day.
Merry Christmas.
Kindness matters!
