Heartland

01Poverty affects everyone, not just the poor

In "Heartland," Sarah Smarsh takes us on a journey through her life, showing us the harsh realities of poverty. She doesn't just talk about the lack of money, but also the emotional toll it takes on people. She does this by sharing her own story, growing up in a poor family in the rural parts of Kansas. Her family's story is a cycle of poverty, with young single moms working multiple jobs and often moving to escape bad relationships and find better opportunities. Her grandma, Betty, is a perfect example of this. She had been divorced six times before she met Arnie, a kind and respectful farmer. Betty and her daughter moved to Arnie's farm, and they eventually got married. Smarsh's mom, Jeannie, was just a teenager when she met Nick Smarsh, a hardworking farmer and carpenter who was a friend of Arnie's firstborn. Jeannie came from a line of women who worked harder than the men in their lives, and she admired Nick's work ethic. They got engaged, and Jeannie became pregnant at 17. They got married in 1980, and Sarah Smarsh was born, making Betty a grandma at the age of 34. Growing up, Smarsh was always aware of the cost of her existence. She was told not to speak, laugh, or cry, and her actions were always evaluated in terms of whether they justified the cost of raising her. This was a reflection of the financial strain her family was under, and it was a cycle Smarsh was determined to break. Even though they were financially struggling, Smarsh's family always had enough to eat and a roof over their heads. But the poverty that Smarsh felt most deeply was not material but emotional. Her mom, scarred by the traumas of monetary poverty, was emotionally distant. Smarsh longed for her mom's affection and for her to be genuinely happy. Through her own story, Smarsh shows us that poverty is not just about a lack of money. It also involves a lack of emotional resources, which can have a deep impact on a person's well-being. This is an important point in understanding the wider implications of poverty, as it affects not only individuals but also families and communities. It's a cycle that is hard to break, but Smarsh's story shows that it is possible with determination and hard work.