"La véritable épreuve de notre progrès n'est pas de savoir si nous ajoutons encore plus à l'abondance de ceux qui ont beaucoup; c'est de savoir si nous fournissons assez à ceux qui ont trop peu."

This quote is really about sharing the wealth and making sure that progress benefits everyone, not just the already well-off. It's a call for fairness and empathy, reminding us that true progress is measured by how we uplift those who are struggling, not by how much we can add to the riches of the wealthy.

Let's dive a bit deeper. This idea isn't new—it's been around for ages. Franklin D. Roosevelt said this back in 1937 during the Great Depression. The country was in a mess; people were out of work, families were struggling to put food on the table, and the gap between the rich and the poor was glaring. Roosevelt’s New Deal policies aimed to address this by focusing on the needs of the less fortunate, giving them a leg up rather than just padding the pockets of the rich.

Imagine a small town hit by a hurricane. The wealthy families on the hill might have lost some trees and roof tiles, but the families in the valley lost everything—their homes, their belongings, their sense of security. Now, if the town's recovery efforts only focus on replanting trees for the hilltop folks, that's not really progress. But if they focus on rebuilding the homes and lives of the valley families, that’s real, meaningful progress.

So, how do you apply this in your own life? Think about where you can make a difference. Maybe it's donating to a food bank instead of getting that extra fancy coffee. Or perhaps it’s volunteering your time to help out at a local shelter. The key is to look around and see who needs a hand up the most—and then act.

Let me tell you a story that hits home. I knew a guy, let's call him Dave, who owned a small business. He did well for himself, but he never forgot where he came from—a struggling neighborhood with few opportunities. Instead of just enjoying his success, Dave made it a point to hire people from his old neighborhood, offering them decent wages and training. He even set up scholarships for kids who couldn’t afford college. Dave didn’t just measure his success by his bank account; he measured it by how many lives he could positively impact.

You see, it's about shifting our focus from "me" to "we." Think about the ripples. When you help someone who’s struggling, you're not just making their life better; you’re improving the community as a whole. It creates a domino effect of goodwill and opportunity.

So next time you’re thinking about what success looks like, remember Roosevelt’s words. It’s not about piling up more for those who already have plenty. Real success, real progress, is about lifting up those who have the least. And trust me, the world will be a better place for it.