House Poor

I recently picked my boys up from a play date at their friend’s house. The house was big and beautiful, in a very nice neighborhood.

But when I stepped inside, I was shocked. The rooms were nearly empty with bare walls and just a few pieces of furniture scattered about.

It reminded me of when we bought our first house. Our realtor warned us to be careful that we didn’t buy a house with such a high price tag we couldn’t live comfortably (even though we qualified for the financing). She told us that many people ended up with such high mortgages they couldn’t buy furniture to put in their houses. They could barely buy the groceries and toiletries they needed each month. She called them “house poor.”

I know many people whose lives are maxed out with work and commitments. They have little or no time and effort left to care for their health. Instead of paying attention to their bodies, they pop pills and take medicine. Though they have nice homes and cars and clothes, inside, their bodies are empty of what really matters--good health. They are health poor.

We all have goals we want to achieve. We have to work hard to achieve them. But what good is it to gain our goals and lose our health?

In all your striving to get more, don’t neglect good health.