DAY 76: MONEY

I just broke open my piggy bank.  The glass jar where I put all of my spare change, has become my most consistent savings plan of my 20s, and now 30s. The thing is, I am the first to admit I have not been the best steward of my finances.  And now I am dealing with the consequences.

When I was young, I humbly confess to being a bit of an entrepreneur.  I raked leaves in the fall, dog sat in the summer, and babysat all of the time.  As an avid reader of the Babysitters Club series, I was certain that taking care of children smaller than me, would be my ticket to the top.  It was only a matter of time before I realized my wages to work hour ratio did not a mogul make.

The older I got, I saved every penny, every dollar, every gift, until I hit adolescence.  Then, in a move reminiscent of Vegas gambler, I spent it all on a wooden clarinet my freshman year of high school.  I fully expected to go to Juilliard, play Carnegie Hall, and create my own line of trendy clarinet cases to be sold on QVC by the time I turned 25.  If babysitting wouldn't take me to the top, surely playing the clarinet would.  

Let's just say, that plan didn't work either.  So now, at 30, I had to wake up to fact that I am still chasing the next "big" thing, the same way M.C. Hammer is still chasing his old career. I have been chasing money, chasing stuff, and chasing validation like an addict.  Even 'the book' has gotten suckered into the literary equivalent of Amway to me.  But the thing is, whatever it is that I am seeking, all the validation, all the respect that I think money will give me...  Well, I finally realized that stuff isn't for sale.  It has to come to from within me.

So on Day 76, I am calling a truce to my life-long pursuit of the almighty dollar.  I have finally learned true wealth comes from the inside.

I remain truly yours, Milagros

76 Days Down, 289 to go. 

Comments

[christine]

Glad to see your faith is on its way back.
Hang on there.

[christine]

Er, I meant to say hang in there.

[christine]

Oh, and sorry I missed the opportunity to post my favorite posts. I've been vewy, vewy busy. :)

[Noury]

One of the things I enjoy about your blog is your honesty about issues we face all the time, but mostly the use of your sense of humor and use of words to describe these things. I look forward every day to see what you are pulling out of the bag, or what is in your mind. I must confess, I am a GoodDistric addict.

[mollyhill]

@Christine: I will both hang on and hang in :) Appreciate the support! Things are definitely looking up.

@Mom: Gracias!

[Lindsay Richards]

I had made almost enough money to pay for my college before getting out of the 8th grade. We lived next door to the Thomas Edison Estate in Fort Myers Florida and I collected coconuts all over the neighborhood and sold them (10 cents each, 3 for 25 cents). I had a constant supply of Yankees wanting them. When I got $18, I bought a US Savings bond. I also collected conch shells and made horns (hundreds of them) and sold them at my coconut stand. When I got to be 13, I switched over to being a soda jerk after school and on weekends. Working young is great for building character and spirit.

[mollyhill]

@Lindsay: Agreed! It was great for building character and spirit. Why doesn't working as an adult feel the same way? :)