Apparently I'm Poorer Than I Thought

    I don't necessarily have an encounter that has changed my personal beliefs. I've been faced with plenty of conversations that differ from my own beliefs, but nothing to budge my stance. However there have been plenty of moments in my life where something I thought was common amongst people ended up not being as common as I thought. So I figured I could lean off there.

     I didn't think much about the contents of my childhood. I thought it was great. I had a room with tons of toys, a tv where I could watch all my favorite shows, and a pantry full of sugary snacks. Though, as I got older, I began to realize the stains on the ceilings, tablecloths draped where walls should be, and the bags full of hand me down clothes. Again, it didn't mean much to me. This was the way I grew up, along with all of my other friends. Growing up in a small town like mine, most of us live very similar lifestyles. Once I hit my teen years, I came to understand that this isn't the norm that I thought it was. The first time I visited a friend of mine in Saratoga Springs (a much richer place than my own), I walked into a beautiful, modern furnished house. A kitchen full of fresh food and vegan items for days, the largest flat screen tv I have ever seen in my house, a huge underground pool, and a closet full of new clothes to die for. This friend of mine never had to worry about what food he could get at the grocery store, or how much he could spend at target. He never had to sit directly on the heater vent to gain some sense of warmth in the house. He walked right into the clothing stores that I had only dreamed of shopping at.

     I was extremely jealous of his lifestyle. It was hard to believe that people lived in a way where they didn't have to worry about their financial stability. Although I knew that there was a richer middle class, I had never encountered people who fit that category. When I thought about those types of people, I always thought of uber rich people such as the Kardashians and famous social media influencers.

    I was angry over this for quite some time, and I suppose I still am a bit, as who wouldn't be envious of those with more freedom over their money, but in time I came to realize that my friend didn't choose that life, just as I did not choose mine. Coming from a wealthier family does not make someone better, nor does it make them snobby, or ignorant, or any of the things that are often associated with those of a higher income. I was faced with the fact that I was not as financially stable as I thought I was. It's kind of hard to be faced with that. It made me rethink a lot of how my life played out. However, it lead me to be more cautious and understanding of money. I've become more invested in topics on financial stability and income. One encounter being in a friend's house was all it took to lead me to re-evaluate my entire childhood up to that point.