Friday, June 11, 2010

Meager Earnings

Inside my desk there is a stack of bills. Medical bills, NIPSCO, Comcast, etc. All horrible pieces of paper demanding money from me. Sometimes demanding money that I don't have. We are so far deep in a hole that it's impossible to see the surface. But there isn't a price for life. (Okay, so it's just under $200K, but still.) When I see my phone light up with another collector wanting their share of money I get so angry.

All we did was help Greg get better. We have insurance. For part of it, we had two different isurance policies. But it is still not enough. And they don't want to accept that I do not make enough money to satisfy all my debts instantly. To them their debt is the single most important of mine.

I get so frustrated sometimes. You hear stories on the news about people living paycheck to paycheck. And I bet some of you wonder why they just don't pay their bills. Why are people living in trailers and driving cars that don't work? Because things happen. And despite how hard you pray or how many hours in a week you work... things happen. People get sick and nearly die. People lose their jobs. Things break. It's part of life.

I have so many friends who cannot possibly understand my situation. They've never suffered from lay offs or illness. They've never fallen behind on car payments. They've never had to live off of Ramen because everything else was too expensive. And it's hard. We're in a much better place now than we were a few years ago, but we're still not good.

I'm embarrased to admit I live in a trailer. I'm ashamed to tell people that I can't get a loan for a new car. It pains me to even write this blog, but I want people to understand something.

Financial problems aren't due to people being too stupid/lazy/selfish. I know I'm none of those things. So as I sit here hoping a praying that my car doesn't cost more than the pitiful amount in my bank account to repair... look at what you have and please be grateful you're not in my situation. Don't take the level of comfort you have for granted. And please, please don't judge the people you see who are struggling.

2 comments:

Erin said...

I am proud of you for honesty. It's hard sometimes... I feel like we're living paycheck to paycheck ever since I Went on maternity leave, and it's just maddening. I understand.

Shellipants said...

I'm always here to lend a meal, a ride or a shoulder to lean on. I'm very proud of you for paying your bills and not shirking them like so many people do. It takes YEARS to come back from illnesses and layoffs, and you're doing a damn good job at it. Its a trailer not an overpass. Hold your head high, because in the end it doesn't matter WHERE you live, but that you're alive.

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