A few weeks before my mother died several years ago, she made the remark to me, “You are so rich.”
The remark caught me by surprise, and I looked at her in puzzlement. And I replied, “No, Mama, I am not rich. What do you mean?”
And she quickly answered without hesitation, “You are rich because you have your children near.”
At the time, my mother was living with my sister and her husband in Kentucky, and my husband and I had gone by to see her. She had suffered several small strokes and could no longer live alone.
Even though there were seven of us children at the time, none of us lived near her during most of her life. Even when she lived in Kansas, I lived the closest, but I was still two hours away.
At the time that she made the remark, my husband Ralph, who later died, and I were far from “rich” financially. He had kidney cancer surgery the year before my conversation with my mom, and we were headed to see a doctor in another state, looking for what to do next since an MRI had revealed the cancer had returned.
My husband had been off work for a few months, and the medical bills had begun to mount up. So, I knew well that we were not rich with money, but we were rich by my mother’s definition of the word rich, and I agreed with her—our children were near—I was rich!
I have never forgotten her remark—her words have stuck with me! With Thanksgiving almost here, have you thought about how rich you are?
Even today I was reminded that I am rich—rich in the things that matter! Until now, Tom and I have been relatively “rich” in health (even though we have aches and pains)! We have a warm house, and neither of us has ever gone hungry! We are rich compared to many in the world who are sick, homeless, cold, or hungry.
I am still not rich financially, but I am content. I have a good husband. Together we have good children and their spouses, eight grandchildren with good spouses, and now seven greats and another great baby girl on the way. That’s rich!
Even though all the grandchildren and children are not close by miles (Misty and Bryan are still in Wales), they are “near” us in relationships. Yes, our children are “near.”
Tom and I have wonderful siblings, families, and friends. We live in a country where we can attend church each Sunday without fear. We live in a small town of people who care about each other! The roads are straight and uncrowded.
As the song goes, “We are alive and well!” We are “rich,” rich in health, relationships, community, and faith. We are clothed, fed, and warm. We are blessed, and I am thankful.
Yes, Mother, this Thanksgiving, “I am so rich!”
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If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.
If you have money in the bank, your wallet, and some spare change, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the agony of imprisonment or torture, or the horrible pangs of starvation, you are luckier than 500 million people alive and suffering.
If you can read this message, you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who cannot read it at all.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
