Gov't Assistance: WIC, food stamps

[PamNY]

I grew up very poor. Father in prison, mother in a coma for months, and everything else you'd expect to see in a bad soap opera.

My friends gave me clothes, my mom's friends gave us places to stay and later loaned her a car, a church we didn't even belong to gave us food. We got free lunch at school.

We didn't look "bad" from the outside.

I try very hard as an adult not to judge. Sometimes I see things that get me angry and seem unfair. "Why do they get all this help from the government, while we got so little and had to rely on friends and charity?" "Why am I paying so much in taxes while those people get free stuff I can't afford myself?"

1. Life isn't fair.

2. Sometimes what looks ok from the outside actually sucks from the inside.

Balance those two out for yourself. If you are truly made miserable over a free-lunch child riding in an SUV to school, report it. If it's no skin off your nose, let it go.

Life is too short to waste your time carrying anger.

Wise advice.

Goldfinch, I agree about the term "illegitimate."

[salsabike]

We didn't look "bad" from the outside.

I try very hard as an adult not to judge. Sometimes I see things that get me angry and seem unfair. "Why do they get all this help from the government, while we got so little and had to rely on friends and charity?" "Why am I paying so much in taxes while those people get free stuff I can't afford myself?"

1. Life isn't fair.

2. Sometimes what looks ok from the outside actually sucks from the inside.

Balance those two out for yourself. If you are truly made miserable over a free-lunch child riding in an SUV to school, report it. If it's no skin off your nose, let it go.

Life is too short to waste your time carrying anger.

Wise advice.

Goldfinch, I agree about the term "illegitimate."

Yes. Ditto to all of that.