If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches; for the Creator, there is no poverty.
I don't think Rilke was referring to the economically deprived, but rather to those who, irrespective of the condition of their wallets, think their lives are poor. Plenty of well off people feel miserable, and plenty of people who aren't at all well off get as much out of life as one could hope.
And I think you are right. I was just shooting from the lip -- or fingertip(s) -- because I despise even a hint of the idea of the deserving or saintly poor. What the Creator thinks I have no idea. Personally, my life is, by today's standards, fairly poor financially, but it is rich. I could, even in my gray hairs, make it a bit less poor financially, but I am unwilling to sacrifice that which makes it rich.
I'm with you there, Roger. And, like you, I'm not too keen on the saintly poor. I grew up poor and there wasn't anything particularly elevating about it.
Alas, for the Poor, there is.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Rilke was referring to the economically deprived, but rather to those who, irrespective of the condition of their wallets, think their lives are poor. Plenty of well off people feel miserable, and plenty of people who aren't at all well off get as much out of life as one could hope.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think you are right. I was just shooting from the lip -- or fingertip(s) -- because I despise even a hint of the idea of the deserving or saintly poor. What the Creator thinks I have no idea. Personally, my life is, by today's standards, fairly poor financially, but it is rich. I could, even in my gray hairs, make it a bit less poor financially, but I am unwilling to sacrifice that which makes it rich.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you there, Roger. And, like you, I'm not too keen on the saintly poor. I grew up poor and there wasn't anything particularly elevating about it.
ReplyDelete