As I was approaching fifty years old I sought the wisdom of my elders. I sought out men and women older than I was to learn lessons on life that they had been learning.

Monday I began a series entitled A Treasure Chest Of Wisdom, including:

1. Don’t Hold Grudges
2. Take Care Of Your Health.
3. Compassion Makes Sense and Giving Is Better Than Taking
4. Greed Gains Momentum
5. Gratitude Leads To Contentment

Contentment Leads To Generosity

Note: This post in NOT intended to brag or boast.

When I was thirteen I was held underwater by a gym-class bullies.  As much as I struggled and fought to break free I couldn’t.  I wrote about my experience with the fear of drowning here. 

It’s been more than twenty-five years since that day, and yet, even in the beauty of Hawaii last week I was afraid of drowning.  Fear runs deep in many of us.  Maybe your not afraid of drowning in water, maybe your fear is drowning in:
– Debt
– Despair
– Disappointment
– Failure
– The Ocean of Bad Relationships
– The Sea of Doubt
– Your Fears About Your Uncertain Future

When I thought about writing about me, and my life, for two weeks I couldn’t imagine what I would write.  As my last post has arrived I feel I’ve run out of time, not run out of things to say.

So I chose three pictures that tell a story about who I am and who I am becoming.

Bad-@ss

The first picture is my favorite picture of just me.  Really, I could not imagine a picture that better captures my love for fun and willingness to take on challenges.

I’m “butt-surfing” a waterfall, Big Smokey to be specific.

My parents have always been wise about money.

My parents tried to pass their wisdom and insights onto me.

Unfortunately, I didn’t listen.

I’ve learned my lesson.  Amy and I cut up our credit cards.  We’ve been following Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps and budget tips.

Even though not using credit meant we had less credit available, we only buy what we can afford.

You can read more about our debt-free journey here entitled, Got Money Stress?

Please keep reading. This advice might make your life better! Seriously!

No gimmick, no scheme, no quick fix, I just found some common sense that was not common to me.

I’m not working today because I’m on a furlough. I’m not being paid to not work. The economic challenges hit TreeHouse.

At the risk of sounding like a martyr, Amy and I still struggle with the financial impact of my choice to work at TreeHouse. In 1990 during my first month at TreeHouse I made $30. As the months went by I had several paychecks of less than $200.