A story I remember reading a few years ago, I don't remember where but here goes . . .

A fishing guide and a longtime client were fishing on a lake one day. Since the fish were not biting very well at the time, the client decided to ask his longtime guide what his salary was. When the guide told him, the client was astounded by the meager amount.

The client said, "Look, I've known you for a long time, and know you are a hard worker. I will hire you to work for my company at twice your salary." The guide thanked him, but refused the kind offer. When asked why, the guide asked "With all of your wealth and resources available to you, what is your most enjoyable experience?"

The client said "Why, this fishing trip is the best part of my life." The fishing guide said "Well, you see, I get that experience all year round. And I get paid to do that."

So who says wealth is only for people with money?

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), November 06, 2001

Answers

JR~ Great story! My husband has turned down numerous jobs that would have paid much better than where he is now (even though he is paid very well). He was always afraid he would not like the company or the people nearly as much as he does where he is. We also like living by our families and feel this is worth any financial sacrifices we may make. It really is the job that is what you should look for, not the pay. A christian company has many perks that you can't find in the job description!

-- Ivy in NW AR (balch84@cox-internet.com), November 06, 2001.

Sounds like my uncle and my brother, they both work in the tourist industry out west, doing at differnt times of the year, hunting trips, fishing, jeep tours, horse-back riding, and working on ranches.

My brother can pack everything he owns in a big duffle bag! He said once he can't own any more than that, because he carries the duffel bag in one hand and his saddle in the other!! He generally travels by bus, and comes in complete cowboy regalia: western shirt, wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, complete with spurs, and black hat. He usually wears his leather chaps to complete the look. He is about 6ft 6in without his boots on!!! He is a site to behold. I love him!!

He is always happy, even though he is a poor as the proverbial church mouse!! He just loves what he does. I imagine someday he might settle down, but this has been his dream since he was a little boy and he has the courage to live it!!!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), November 06, 2001.

I try to always have fun. I think it's time to stop dwelling on the negative and live for the positive. Enjoy things while they last. Especially relationships. You never know when something is going to end. The hard times are there to help you appreciate the good times.

-- mindy (speciallady@countrylife.net), November 06, 2001.

Melissa Your brother is NOT poor, he just doesn't have money and lots of things. That does not define POOR to me.

When I got divorced, 17 years ago, my lawyer told me I was going to be poor (at the time my girls were 3 and 5 and no child support being received - but was ordered). I looked her in the face and told her I might not have money, but I was not poor and was not going to be.

I haven't been either, but I did hear one of my girls refer to it that way once. I never thought of it in that light.

(I was on all the fed handouts ONCE, off within 2 years.)

AngieM2 in N. Al

-- AngieM2 (ameininger@hotmail.com), November 06, 2001.

Oscar Wilde said once that "Life is too important to be taken seriously"....I always liked that. When I was a young woman, folks who spent time watching the birds and sighing at God's beautiful creation were termed "hopeless dreamers". Not wanting to disappoint my family, I sought to achieve all the wealth and fme I could as a female. Those days, one could be a nurse, teacher, librarian, cook, nanny,telephone operator, secretary,housekeeper,stewardess or a nun if you were Catholic. Unfortunately, I wanted to be a Federal Judge! There were some women who could be anything they chose, but your daddy had to be king or at least have ownership of a major city. I "settled" for Nursing and found it wonderful, yet still had the urge to go slower and relish all thoe wonderful "little things". Driving down the NJ trunpike, I would pull off to the side and watch hawks soar..my friends did not know Jersey had any hawks! Suffice it to say, I have been filthy rich and dirt poor and all those steps inbetween..I have found that it is not what you have but what you DO with what you have that matters. I spent the morning sitting on my porch, enjoying the magnificent sunshine and 70 degrees. There was not a sound around except the birds and my chickens. I watched hawks, bluebirds, sparrows, cardinals, juncoes, bluejays,goldfinches,nuthatches, chickadees to my hearts content and THEN two adorable chipmunks paid me a visit. They scampered up and down the wood pile and then chased one another around our huge oak tree. I thought to myself, "There is no amount of money or power available to purchase this moment." How incredibly blessed I am to have been able to enjoy the morning! Just think, if my adolescent prayers had come true, I would have been sitting in some stuffy courtroom all that time. God bless.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), November 06, 2001.