In America, there is a fine line of who has money and who doesn’t. It’s noticeable who the richest people are in our fine country. From the celebrities, to those who have created companies, to all the relatives of these people and so on. For those who are less fortunate they try to hide it and act like money is a subject people shouldn’t be talking about.

Sure money is brought up because we buy things with it. Food, presents for holidays, you know, all of the important stuff. Bills are in need to be paid and for some it cannot be a simple task. The accounts are empty and so are their wallets, it’s just a basic fact of life if it comes down to it. It when you accept defeat and wait for that next paycheck or that birthday money you get every year.

You don’t want to be bothered, that’s why you don’t ask for money. You know who does ask for money? Little kids, because they want to feel the power that money has. Teenagers, because they want to go out with their friends (and this is before their driving years and times of finding jobs). More importantly, the young adults off at college, because they may be out of state or not so close to home and waste all the money they got as graduation gifts within the first week.

These are the poorest of the poor and they accept this fact every second of everyday. The only times they really don’t are when they’re actually careful with their money, the holidays when they just got money in their cards, or for those working, just getting their new paycheck and never letting go of it.

The adult world, on the other hand, is where the money issue is really difficult to manage. They are giving the children money and paying everything instead of saving it for themselves. For most it’s not a sign of being poor, it’s having priorities. The rest of the world just believes they have nothing and bluntly makes fun of them for it.

I’m not afraid to admit it, I am a college student that doesn’t have a lot. I don’t let that hold me back from living my life like the rest of the world. Receiving items and money is just a thing you get used to appreciating after so many years after yelling why you couldn’t have that toy when you were a child. I come from a family that just gives and gives until their little hearts content and that is something I am okay with.

We don’t give because it’s a choice of whether a person should have it or not, we give because it’s a matter of appreciation. Sometimes it’s clothes, sometimes it’s food nobody eats in their house, and every other time it’s just a simple amount of money. All we do is just be for them in any type of situation (well, because they’re family), and in return they just keep on giving.

One who is poor learns to appreciate the little things in life like just having water to shower with, the smallest crumb of food to eat, and the most important item, having people who surround you with love, support and do anything to help not caring how much you have. It’s these little things that help them appreciate what they get from others and become spoiled without even trying. Money is not a key to happiness, so why brag about having it? Why complain about having none?

Just be grateful for what you already have and keep living your life the way you do. Everyday is already a gift, unwrapping every great surprise and donating the obstacles you wish to not have anymore. There are other places that have it worse than us and would do anything to have what we have; that's what we really have to think about. That, ladies and gentleman, is the secret life of being poor.