How much a dollar cost?

There are two types of people in this world: the ones who treat something you give them with as much respect and appreciation as you would treat the object given to that person. Then, there are the people who feel entitled enough to squander anything given to them until the resource is depleted entirely. When thinking about the latter group, I remember an African Proverb that makes me think about how important it is to work to acquire something and work twice as hard to preserve what I’ve worked so hard to get.

“When you carry your own water, you will be able to learn the value of each and every drop”

My mom would always remind me how hard she worked to keep a roof over our head and food in our mouth. I never took any of those meals and warm sheltered nights for granted.

During a conversation about generational wealth I was having with a good friend, we concluded that generational wealth is not absent in the black community because generations before us didn’t have anything to pass down. Sure, our grandparents and parents did not have as much as other people who were fortunate enough to have a head start. Facing obstacles such as segregation, systematic racism, Jim Crow, etc., I would say our grandparents did well for themselves. Somewhere along the struggle, a generation of us (black-folk) became ignorant to the hard work our parents and grandparents endured to provide their children and grandchildren with something of value (monetary, sentimental, or otherwise). With ignorance to that struggle came entitlement, and with that entitlement came neglect and a nonchalant attitude that translates to apathy.

Apathy is a stab in the back to the person who worked hard to make sure you don’t have to worry about that specific aspect of life because they already did the work to make it easier for you. Apathy is betrayal to the person who gave you an opportunity while you take what they have handed to you and treat it as though you were better off without it. You may have received an inheritance, gifts, a loan, a car, or exposure to something you would not have ordinarily experienced. By taking care of it just as the original owner would have, you are showing that you are doing right by what they have given to you and doing right by the relationship you have with that person.

The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for…

I forgot to mention the third group of people: those that would do anything to be in your position. Some people are jealous and want to take and or tear down what is left for you simply because it wasn’t left to them. Those degenerates are called “haters” and they prey on others by using, manipulating, and being deceitful (be mindful of these types). Finally, you have other people who are in dire straits that admire the position you are in and are studying ways to be able to do something just as resourceful (as the person who put you on) so that future generations of their family are put into a position to win.

So, the answer to the question posed by Kendrick Lamar “how much a dollar cost”, is time, effort, and resources. Those things last person sacrificed to get you that dollar (or thing of monetary value). The sweat from their brow or time they could have invested in something else that would have made them a return on their investment. Instead, they chose to invest in YOU. Don’t take that for granted.