Growing up poor was hard. Watching my parents work full-time only to scrape by was disheartening and upsetting. As a family of six, we lived paycheck to paycheck. Once the bills were paid, there wasn't much left for things like groceries or nice clothes, let alone vacations and expensive toys like what my friends had. But my parents always made things work. We always had food in our stomachs and clothes on our backs. I have no idea how they did it. What I do know is that growing up poor was never easy, but it had a silver lining. Here are seven ways that I believe growing up poor helped make me a better person.
1. It taught me the value of hard work.
My parents are some of the hardest working people I know. They did whatever they had to do to get by, whether it was working overtime, working holidays, working weekends and so forth. They sacrificed much to provide for my siblings and I, and they never gave up—even in the toughest of times. My parents' work ethic is still strong, even though most of my siblings and I are grown up and have our own lives. I remember my dad coming home early in the morning after working a long third shift, and my mom sneaking in the front door after we'd gone to bed trying not to wake us as she made herself some dinner after a 12 hour shift. Those memories come back to me when I'm pounding away at the pile of homework that's been stacking up all week, or when I'm having a bad day at work. Work hard, persevere through the bad times, never give up—just like mom and dad.
2. It made me more generous.
When you grow up poor, you know what it's like to have nothing. You know what it's like to be cold because the payment on the heating bill is late and they shut it off. You know what it's like to turn on the faucet and have no water come out because that bill payment is late too. You know what it's like not to be able to go out to the movies with your friends because there no extra money. Since I know what it's like to have nothing, I want to share whatever I have. I never turn down the option of rounding up my bill to the next dollar to donate the change to the American Cancer Society. I don't hesitate to give up my Christmas to spend it volunteering at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen. I want to give whatever I can when I can because I know exactly what it's like to live without.
3. It made me more kind, compassionate, and empathetic.
Being on the bottom rung of the socio-economic ladder my entire life taught me to treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO. It taught me that people fight their own battles and deserve to be treated with the greatest level of kindness. It taught me to try to see the world through other people's eyes before judging them or their circumstances. I truly believe that because I grew up being the poor kid, I gained a greater understanding of respect for my fellow man.
4. It made me more thankful and grateful.
I never had a lot growing up, I don't even have a lot now for that matter, but for what I did have I was extremely grateful and thankful. I knew how hard my parents had to work to give me the things I had, and I hope they know their hard work didn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. Even today, I am incredibly thankful for everything I have, whether it was given or earned. I am also grateful to the people who helped me get to where I am now.
5. It taught me to appreciate the little things.
Often people take the small, mundane every day things in their life for granted. Growing up poor made me appreciate the things that others overlook. For example, electricity, hot water and gas in my car are things I've gone without more than once in my lifetime. I've grown to appreciate those seemingly normal, essential, everyday things as much as I appreciate the big things in my life, like the opportunity to get an education.
6. It made me a more independent and self-reliant person.
From a young age, my parents instilled the values of independence and self-reliance into my siblings and I. If you wanted something, you had to go out and get it. You had to work for it. No one was going to hand you anything. No one was going to do everything for you. You have to learn to rely on yourself and to be by yourself because, in the end, you might be all you have. I have no problem being alone or doing things for myself. Actually, I prefer to do things myself. That way I know they'll be done exactly the way I want them to be. Learning how to take care of and look out for myself is one of the most valuable lessons I learned from poverty.
7. It taught me the value of family and community.
While being poor did taught me self-reliance, it also taught me the value of fellowship within my family and the community—end a helping hand and love thy neighbor. There were many other families that mine were friends with who were in the same socio-economic place. We helped each other out. The older kids would watch the younger kids while the parents were all at work. We would trade off nights cooking large dinners for everyone so that the cost of groceries could be lightened a little for each family. We swapped hand-me-downs so that everyone had something that fit and kept them warm. It's important to be able to take care of and rely on yourself, but it's also important to take care of and help others.
Being poor was not at all fun, cool or enjoyable. Everyday was a struggle. Watching my parents decide whether or not to pay the electric bill or buy groceries for the week was far from a fairy tale, but it did teach me a lot of important lessons that I believe made me a better overall person.
