Lavinia had always been wealthy and had always been quietly unkind to others.
When life was comfortable for her it was easy to miss just how small her character was.
But when Sara lost everything, a very clear and important comparison became visible to all.
Sara with nothing remained generous, patient, and genuinely interested in other people.
Lavinia with everything remained petty, jealous, and concerned only with herself.
Their circumstances were very different but their characters had simply become easier to see.
Hard times do not change who we are — they remove what was hiding it from the world.
Adversity reveals the true character inside a person.