What class am I anyway?

As the politicians drone on about the 'middle class' and we see that folks in Georgetown, District of Columbia and folks on Capitol Heights, D.C. consider themselves middle class, even though the former earns on an average $140K per year and the latter $29K a year, I ask what class am I?

I was raised in an upper-middle-class family. Home life was secure and stable. My parents were able to pay for my college education. I managed to make it through a Ph.D. and M.Div. program without incurring debt thanks to scholarships.

As an Episcopal priest, when employed, my income was lower-middle class (my first position as rector when I started was $14K in stipend plus housing and benefits for a total package of $28K), though from the exterior, I probably still exude the trappings of an upper-middle-class person and I certainly have the education of one... until you start looking closely.

Now, I am decidedly lower-class with no income to speak of and, as of today, no health insurance either. I drive a nine year-old car with close to 150K miles on it, wear glasses that have one broken-off nose piece with a prescription that does not work as well as it used to. I do have plenty enough clothes to keep me going a long, long time and, for the time being, a roof over my head. Somehow I should be able to regain employment.

It is an extravagance, but I am going to El Salvador soon (booked that ticket before learning of the termination of my health insurance). Their problems are worse than mine.

I guess I am supposed to learn what it means to be on a downward-slide economically in order to have more compassion with those at the bottom of the heap (we are getting more and more numerous). It isn't fun, though.

What a year.