During my May 2010 trip to Cameroon, we came across this boy in Bechati standing in a mud hut with his grandfather. “Who Is Rich?” was written over the doorway. Aside from the bench shown in the picture, there was not a single other possession to be seen. Yet the old man was happy. Unbelievably happy.
He was clearly impoverished by our North American standards, but it soon became apparent that this man was genuinely rich with all of the things that matter most: friends, family, health and a humble offering of a daily meal were all that he had ever needed. What more could he want? In his opinion, he had it all. In mine, he did too.
Now I want to hear from you. Leave a comment answering the question of this sign: What does “rich” mean to you?
Wealth comes in many forms… sometimes we just need to stop and think what we do have instead of focusing on what we don’t.
I recently returned from volunteering in rural Kenya for 6 months. After that experience I can say that being ‘rich’ means to be heart-full and to love and be loved- this is the most critical ingredient in our recipe for life.
Rich is the way you make people feel about themselves, just giving a smile to another person could change the way they feel that day. xx
Being rich to me has so many meanings… Most importantly is knowing that money isn’t everything and that its not the best indicator of wealth. I’d rather be able to appreciate the little things in life than need some fancy thing parked in the garage of my mansion (even though it would be nice lol). I’m rich even if I’m broke because I can still smile when there isn’t much to smile about.
Recently I was in the kitchen listening to the kids playing Legos-star wars…Their space ship landed on a new planet…they met the aliens…by the time I called them in for dinner, they were digging wells for the aliens who didnt have water near where they lived…although it got a little lost on Nathan(9) who wanted to charge them for the water…
I brought Kamryn to work with me to cover a story for the newspaper about 2 13 year olds who were had their friends all bring $ instead of gifts and the donated the $ to CF on behalf of a friend who has cystic fibrosis. On the way home, Kam(11) said she wants to have her party this summer(with Nathan’s since they are 2 weeks apart) and donate the $ to obakki….
rich is knowing they hear me…and that someday they will change the world!
Thanks by the way for the recent pics of the kids with the school supplies…it is wonderful to know that some of that stuff was here, in my hands and is now in theirs!!!! I made someone half a world away smile…that’s awesome!
Cyn~
… when your heart can make your eyes smile to others… no matter what your going through.
I think your eyes are smiling most of the time and making so many people rich…
Those who are rich in THINGS, seem to me to have much more weight to bear. There is the stress of keeping the valuable THINGS they have, the stress of working so hard to get the next best THING, the wondering if friends are true or just with them to share their THINGS! However, those who are rich in kindness to others, who find joy and happiness in the simple life and true friends around them – well I believe there wealth is beyond measeure. Then there are the Rich in Wealth who chose share what they have with those in need around the world, now they are beautifull people indeed
Richness should be measured by what you give, not what you accumulate 
My definition of richness is an evolving one.
Today it is a peaceful feeling that comes from familiarity in doing the things I have done a thousand times (laundry, helping kids with homework, shoveling from a new snowfall). I do these things without hunger, fear, loneliness or heartbreak.
Today I am rich. Tomorrow I can give more.
Respectful
Impartial
Compassionate
Heartfelt
Be all these things and you will truely be rich, not in wealth but in the human love you will receive from all those lived you in turn have touched.