A Kings Feast – have we lost our perspective?
A few months ago I was sitting at a friends house when his neighbor dropped by. We started talking about the business I was in and the financial perils of the world. He then said something that I will not forget. He said, we are all Pharaohs in the Western World (many of us anyway) and yet we act like we are scarce in riches. He went on to explain his view, stating that in the ancient world, the peasants, or every day folk, ate what they could grow. Depending on the climate that meant mostly fruit and berries in the spring and summer months and mostly root vegetables in the fall and winter. Only the richest and the revered would have a table full of fruits and vegetables from around the world. It got me thinking…
I don’t recall every having the assortment of fruits while growing up that I enjoy today. We typically ate what was native to our province and in season, with a few exceptions now and again. Strawberries, Watermelons, Blueberries, Bananas were common. I’m not sure I even saw a Kiwi until my later years. And never even heard of Acai berries, Kumquats and the like. Today I walk into the grocery store and there is a world of fruits, vegetables, grains etc sitting on the shelves. I open my fridge and it is hard to ignore just how abundant our choices are, even with a set grocery budget. Both are filled with items fit for a Kings (and Queens) feast.
When did we lose sight of this? When did we start to take for granted that water pours out of taps, heat is generated in our homes, we can watch what is happening in the world by clicking the “on” button on our tv or computer. If we need to travel, there are buses, cars, airplanes. The list is endless but I will stop there because I think you get the point. The Pharaohs of the past would bow to us with all that we have at our disposal. How is that we can ever say we are lacking? And yet we do.
If there is one thing that I have learned over and over again as I navigate my way through this thing called life, it is that by counting your blessings more blessings come your way. If you focus on what you feel you do not have, you will never truly appreciate all that you do have. I invite you to take a moment and walk around your home and express your gratitude for the abundance you have at your fingertips. Sit on your throne and take it all in. Relish in the riches that surround you every day. And if your riches overflow and you find you have more than you need, I further invite you to give some of your excess abundance to those that are truly lacking so that they too may feel the richness of our society.
Happy finances!
