Truth of Being Poor

It's a shame that in America most people judge you by what you have instead of who you are. Everyone seems to want the nice games, clothes, and purses.
Money is nice to have. You can go to the salon and get your hair done. You can go buy fancy clothes and shoes. You can buy the fanciest games. However, are you happy?
At 21 years old, I manage my own business, Touch of Heart.(www.touchofheart.net) I make handmade bows, dresses, soaps, lotions, and jewelry. I really enjoy meeting new people, but I noticed even in small children there is the I'm better than you attitude when I am measuring them for their dresses.
My husband and I make a good amount of money. But yet I miss when I was very young. I grew up having hardly anything and that was the happiest I had been in my whole life.
I really enjoyed living with my grandpa bringing in the coal for the wood and coal burner. I really enjoyed being out in the field with him and taking the hoe to the fields.
There was really a lot of pride and joy in eating the crops we grew. The corn was sweeter. The strawberries were soft and squishy. I loved being poor.
Growing up with hardly anything gave me values that are mostly dead in America. Growing up a baby doll was a treasure. It was something that was special. I still have my baby doll from when I was 2 that my papaw gave me.
I learned from growing up how to be happy with hardly anything. Family was close. Your mom could cut your hair no need for a salon. Baggy clothes were perfect for climbing trees and jumping into the river.
Now a days girls freak when their hair is messed up. They are all in short shorts and beauty is so important and having the possesions better than others seems to be top priority.
Maybe it's just me but I see no pride in having it all. I see more pride in having nothing. Most girls can't make blankets, soaps, lotions, and dresses from scraps. Most women can't work in the fields and rather drive to McDonalds than eat the fruit of their own labors.
But thanks to how I was raised i learned true happiness. I don't need a fancy house, cars, or phones. I am happy with needle and thread. I am beautiful wearing second hand things. I have confidence and know I can make it far. I can grow crops and I have the will to push on, past my limits. This is all thanks to growing up with hardly anything.


Coat of Many Colors
By Dolly Parton
Back through the years
I go wonderin once again
Back to the seasons of my youth
I recall a box of rags that someone gave us
And how my momma put the rags to use
There were rags of many colors
Every piece was small
And I didn't have a coat
And it was way down in the fall
Momma sewed the rags together
Sewin every piece with love
She made my coat of many colors
That I was so proud of
As she sewed, she told a story
From the bible, she had read
About a coat of many colors
Joseph wore and then she said
Perhaps this coat will bring you
Good luck and happiness
And I just couldnt wait to wear it
And momma blessed it with a kiss
Chorus:

My coat of many colors
That my momma made for me
Made only from rags
But I wore it so proudly
Although we had no money
I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me

So with patches on my britches
Holes in both my shoes
In my coat of many colors
I hurried off to school
Just to find the others laughing
And making fun of me
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me

And oh I couldnt understand it
For I felt I was rich
And I told them of the love
My momma sewed in every stitch
And I told em all the story
Momma told me while she sewed
And how my coat of many colors
Was worth more than all their clothes

But they didn't understand it
And I tried to make them see
That one is only poor
Only if they choose to be
Now I know we had no money
But I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me
Made just for me