Just read a humbling statistic in this article from The Tennessean.

17.5% of Nashville’s population lives below the federal poverty line. That means an income of less than $21,834 for a family four.

Stunning.

I spend a considerable amount of mental power figuring out ways our little family of three can save money, and we are privileged to have an income much, much higher than the poverty line.

These thoughts bring to mind several questions for me.

1) How on earth do people make ends meet with an income of less than $21,000? I know that all too often the answer is that the ends just never meet. A lot of these families can’t afford basic food and clothing.

2) Where on earth am I spending all of my money? Sometimes I think my mind is in a permanent state of “there will never be enough,” when really I am richer than I can possibly imagine.

3) What can I/should I do about this? Do I need to examine my own spending habits? How can I help others in my area?

I am really grateful for the perspective this article has given me. Sometimes I pride myself on frugality, gloating that I clip coupons and choose not to subscribe to cable TV. In truth, I’m not particularly frugal, I just prioritize my luxuries. I can’t imagine the daily decisions my fellow Nashvillians must face in trying to provide for their families.