New Times / Letter To The Editor

Wealth doesn't necessarily involve money

Mary MacLauchlin

Things that I find unfair and/or misunderstood are excruciatingly hard for me to resolve in my mind. I try always to be fair and open-minded. I try to educate myself, investigate, and research facts and examine a thing from all sides before I take a stand. For the past year and better, I have been beat over the head with political stereotyping, from both sides of the aisle. While I am mostly liberal (albeit, a more conservative liberal than not), I despise all of it. I just wanted to share my liberal perspective because I try to exercise and promote common sense in all things. Things are not always as they seem. I feel I need to take a stand.

I am weary of hearing how because I’m a Democrat/Liberal that must mean I have a “bleeding heart,” want a “socialist” society, must be a slacker, just want to “freeload off the government,” don’t want to pay taxes—it goes on and on and on. What utter crap! For the past 20 years, I have been a self-employed single mother of two who can’t afford health insurance. Ironically, I have worked as an in-home caregiver for 30 years.

I rent the house I live in, often live paycheck to paycheck, pay my bills on time barring an emergency, and work 48-plus hours a week earning an annual salary of just more than $35K. My rented house is quite lovely and comfortable, I own my 10-year-old car and have zero credit card debt. I find the time and money to give to those less fortunate on occasion and treasure and enjoy my simple life.

Just because I have a social conscience and have the good sense to realize that by helping my fellow man I help myself makes me none of the above, it just makes me a decent person who considers herself not only an American citizen, but a global citizen. Just because I may have needed government assistance in the past does not a slacker make me. It just means times were really tough. I worked hard and made it out the other side a bit stronger and smarter. Just because I don’t feel it necessary to become massively wealthy does not mean I have no drive for success, it just means I define success differently. I am one of the wealthiest people I know. If you don’t understand that remark, let me know; I’ll be happy to share the wealth and wisdom I have earned, with you, for free.