Recovery

My Elder sister frets a lot more than I do over finances, and I certainly complain quite a bit. She's in a constant state of worry over our inability to save a large chunk for future needs as they arise, and particularly stressed about things that warrant us pooling significant sums together in order to meet up. For a while I shared her sense of anxiety, and probably felt justified in doing so. However, recent events such as my dad's passing has also made me modify my philosophy a bit, especially at the moment. I now feel justified in incurring some necessary expenses especially if my non-intervention might lead to regrets.

It also begs the question of what necessary expenses means sometimes, and we certainly tend to abuse the meaning quite a bit, justifying every cost as needing not just an, but specifically our intervention. I've learned to pick my financial burdens a lot like my relationships - with the utmost scrutiny. There are certain problems that are simply out of reach even if we want to intervene, and there are those that we have no business attending to. For those we do deem necessary though, it comes at a cost and some measure of anxiety over the future.

I've never been happy with an empty account balance, as you'd sensibly guess. Yet there is a sense of satisfaction emptying it all out for what we can call the 'right reasons'. Am sure a lot of us for instance wouldn't think twice about intervening for instance in a health challenge faced by a loved one. The feeling is not for everyone, so it is rather a case of 'who' rather than 'what' is involved. When such expenses go, not only do they feel totally worth it, but the confidence of making a recovery is also greatly increased.

I am a Christian and I believe in a higher power. However, I also believe in Life's ability to reward our acts of sacrifice in the long run. Every dollar spent now may pale in comparison to the potential returns of the future, similar to every act of delayed gratification for the future. Compounding is the way to go, but if something justifiably disrupts the process, let's not lose sight of the chances for a complete and total recovery.