The Meaning of Poverty

When we think about poverty, many assume it is describing a person’s economic condition. Poverty is also used as a mechanism to rank people and group them together in our social & economic ladder.

Poverty does more than just hold back people from their financial freedom; it destroys the soul. It melts away the dignity inside us. It troubles the mind and hinders our happiness.

Poverty is a disease that has inflicted humanity since the dawn of time.

If you think that being in poverty can never happen to you or your family, you may want to think again? Millions of Americans are only a paycheck away from being homeless; millions more suffer through ailments that prevent them from working. What makes you different & immune?

The truth is that poverty can strike anywhere and at anytime; it does not discriminate nor does it sleep. Poverty can steal your wealth like a thief in the night, or it can slowly rob your possessions through course of time. It is easier than what you think to fall in this category, and difficult to get out. No one is safe. No one is immune.

If you fall under this category, or feel like you are, or may even know a loved one that is going through this spell: the answers to overcome this hurdle are not always present, they are not always clear, and they may not always be available.

But if you dare to be strong and dare to have a better life; then, you can carry away the first stone in your road to success.

Success will not be easy, or come quickly. Success will need to be defined by you.

Poverty can be defeated, but it must come from within you to believe it.

A miracle will appear within you, and you will find yourself back on your feet.

Although I cannot tell you the road for you to travel, I do want to leave you a few advices for you to have in your life:

1. Don’t Stop Dreaming
2. Don’t Settle For Second Best
3. Don’t Give Up.

I wish you the best in your life and may God be with your on your journey to overcome poverty. May success, joy, and happiness find you along your path.

-J.P.

A Fool's Hope

Sitting here, talking to you, I start to wonder about the tough times people & families are going through right now. Somehow, trouble seems to find us and each day piles on one more burden that we are not strong enough to carry.

Each one of us has gone through a moment in time when everything that we ever worked hard for was lost. Each day we know that the sun comes up, yet, we only find a cloud of darkness above us.

Our worse moment happens when we look at ourselves in a mirror because no sympathetic mirror can ever be bought to hide the shame that we carry in ourselves of feeling like a failure and loser. The reflection on the wall shows a heart that has been beaten up, and a face that has gone through the rough tides of time.

Where does one go when our paths are hidden?
How does one dare to see when all we know of is misery & gloom?
Why does one dream only to wake up with a hangover of a broken heart?

When the sun sets down in your life, the ship carrying your hope sets sails in the abyss, and the iron curtain of this world slowly fades out the light; how is it a possible to move on? Only a fool would dare to get up when it so much easier to give up & lay down.

If there was ever a sin that I would need to confess to the world, it would be at this moment right now with you….the fact that I have been a fool my entire life.

Yes, I am a total fool.
I am a fool for thinking positive.
I am a fool for believing that tomorrow will be a better day.
I am a fool for having faith.
I am a fool for thanking God each minute of my life that has been a miracle & a blessing.

Being a fool has allowed me to ignore those who say that success cannot be achieved.
Being a fool has allowed to think positive and overcome the hurdles in my life.
Being a fool has allowed me to avoid becoming an alcoholic and/or drug user.
Being a fool has allowed me to live my life and continue fighting for what is good.

As foolish & illogical thinking positive may appear to be, if taken seriously, it can impact your life in a way in a manner that will give you the strength & faith to succeed.

My life may not be going so well right now, but you can count on me being foolish enough to believe that tomorrow I will be one step closer to becoming successful & happy.

If you can become foolish enough to believe, then perhaps you can be foolish enough to reach for the stars that we all dreamed about when we were kids.

Perhaps only a fool can be strong enough to carry away the stone in the mountain that we want to move.

Feeling Blue

Feeling “blue” is an expression that is used to describe a state of depression. Feeling “Blue” does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from a clinical depression; on the other side, it is not as easy to say you are simply feeling sad either. In my opinion, feeling “blue” reflects on the emotions that we feel through our heart & displays the scars that we have in our soul. Emotions such as these are often felt through experiences such as feeling rejected, heartbroken, unsecured, mourning a death, etc.

Sadly, when we feel “blue” we tend drift away from people (including our loved ones) and often subject ourselves through physical & spiritual torment. Far too often, we tend to blame other people, objects or even God for our own misery. How would I know? Because this is an issue that I have been suffering and fighting with everyday for the past few years.

By no means am I a psychologist, doctor, counselor, or any type of expert on the matter of family, mental health, etc. In reality, I am a failure. I am an ordinary person struggling to survive each day at a time.

Despite my troubles, why do I see it necessary to remain positive and not feel “blue”? I became convinced a few months ago after I heard a wind blowing in my mind, looking for a feeling that had never left my heart. I soon realized that hope is the gift in my life that can never be taken away.

Hope to become a better man.
Hope to know that tomorrow will be a better day.
Hope to believe that I am not alone.
Hope to dream.
Hope to love.

Hope that my blues will connect me to a rainbow filled with happiness & joy.

Hope that somehow in someway that this reading can connect to you.