Being Broke

A common statement that suggests being in financial want or lack is the popular “I'm broke.” It might not be that popular or used amongst the older folks. Among the younger ones, it's a common language. And yes, it's a language you tend to hear day in and out, from one lip to another, suggesting that many are in need of money but are short of it. Hey, everyone needs money even.

Saying or admitting to being broke is for an individual to be in that state where their pockets, purses or wallets are empty, totally or partially. That could be the difference and I consider what the prompt addresses. The prompt has asked what being broke means to me as a person, because truly, it means different things to different people.

When you say you're broke, what exactly does it mean?

I've engaged in a conversation with someone, and they were talking about being broke. Jokingly, I mentioned an amount, to say that appealing to being broke would mean that they had such an amount in their bank account. Fortunately, I was right. It reinforced a perspective then that being broke could mean different things to different people, once again.

Like many people, there were times, periods and moments in life that I was broke. And other times that I was overwhelmingly broke. It will be necessary to state that there's a level to that thing of being broke. Reminiscing on my state at those times, I find myself grateful along the line, when I find out the level that others are broke.

First of all, being broke for me means not having what is needed for basic provisions and necessities. Say, needs and not wants. Things like food, clothes (not exquisite or fashionable), household items, and the basic things a person could need for life and survival. That would be one of the greatest senses of being broke.

Much more, a failure to provide or meet the needs of others around me－family and loved ones－would mean that, yes, I'm broke. I feel one of the biggest, if not the biggest obligations we have in life is to have others at heart; in kindness and resources. If at their moments of need I fail to help, even in the little way I can, then perhaps I'm broke. Trust me, I've had those moments and it irks me.

I won't be putting a number to how much it counts that I'm broke. One thing I know is that the more money you make, the more problems, needs and wants to settle come in place. Putting an amount would also mean revisiting it and adjusting based on how the economy is treating me. So, as I said or mentioned earlier, it's about having the money for the necessities first. If that can be sorted, then I'm perhaps just broke for what I want.

Not to get it wrong, I would love to get all those things I want to. Over time, life has taught me a wonderful lesson though. I've learned to never use the things that are glamorous or exalted to define if I have it or not. One could be broke, but the things that matter should be the things that really matter.

Images are mine.

Thank you for reading through!