The Planning Game

I had the most interesting conversation with an old, dear friend. He asked if people were suffering from the recession in DC as they were in the small southern town where he resides. "Of course", I said. But since we have a large population of high-income earners, it may not appear that the city has suffered as much as the rest of the country has (but many have). I mentioned that money is tight for many people I know, but that some were spared from suffering the full extent due to having planned for such an occasion; you know, the "Rainy Day Fund". He apparently had suffered due to temporary company layoffs and other reasons. Now, he is by no means in dire financial straits, and still has a job (or two), his house and his vehicles. I must have hit the wrong note because he said that people who plan don't live life to the fullest and in some way are missing out on life. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I'm a life-long planner and don't feel that I've missed out on many of the things I wanted to do in life. Sure, there are things I'd still like to do, but my belief is if I can't afford it, I won't go into debt to have it (with exceptions of course for family, health, education and a home). His take was that if he wanted something, he bought it, despite the outcome or consequences. This is my point: life should be fun, full of adventure, exciting and all, but if you live your life believing because you see it, you should have it, you have to be willing to accept the consequences of your choices. Sure this recession and hard economic times have affected some who planned, as it is no discerner of person-it affects who it will. The moral to the story, rethink who your friends are (JUST KIDDING), but seriously, plan for rainy, snowy, sunny, dry, windy, cold, and hot days. Then when those trying times come (and they will) you'll at least have a fighting chance.

Dr. D. Clutter™