Expand!

The blessings of the Lord is commensurate to how much you can take.

If only most people would realize that self-worth is as important as bank accounts, we'd be saving the world from a lot of poverty. Yeah, it sounds too ideal.. too theoretical. But you have to admit, if we just thought more highly of ourselves, life can be a whole lot better.

I just came from a short talk by Alvin Barcelona on financial literacy (yeehhheesss... hahaha) and he said one of the top reasons why most Filipinos are poor is because they don't think they can ever be rich. How sad. But true. Perfect example is our household helper.. manang. I was cooking pasta a few weekends ago and I offered her a portion. She politely refused kase pang mayaman lang ang spagiti (spaghetti is only for the rich). If I didn't know manang well enough, I'd say she's just making up an excuse so she won't have to eat what I cooked. But, that's not the case. Promise. The pasta I cooked only had tomatoes (canned) and mushrooms and spices (from mom's pantry). Total cost: ~200Php Servings: ~4 so that makes it ~50Php per serving. I know food preference doesn't exactly determine financial wealth. What I'm highlighting here is the mentality. If you think you don't deserve something being given to you, regardless if the Giver thinks you deserve it, then it won't be given to you. Simple as that. Mom had an extra serving of pasta that weekend.

I still have hopes for manang that she'll be rich, too, someday. I have a long way to go in my personal mission to help her, and my first step is to make her realize that food isn't categorized (like humans in society) into food for the rich and food for the poor. It's just a matter of preference. And as for you and me, let's learn to expand. Expand our borders, our territories, our responsibilities, and our spiritual vessels so we can accommodate all the good great things we deserve.

For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. --Mt 25:29