A Message of Thankfulness from Paul Fain
My college freshman son came home for the holiday weekend. As he packed his car to return to campus, I offered him some gas money. “No thanks, I’ll manage,” he responded. I shoved the twenty dollar bill back into my wallet in disbelief.
I am thankful that my son (birth order #3 child) has flown the nest with confidence, maturity, and initial evidence that he is succeeding in the classroom. In 2017, I am thankful that my #1 and #2 children graduated from their respective college programs. I am thankful for the possibility of increased positive parental cash flow.
I am thankful that my household strives to live within its means, not that it is easy. We exert effort to save for short- and long-term goals. We regularly review, discuss (and debate) our spending plan.
At my small business, I am thankful for loyal and engaged clients. Many of our patrons have partnered with us for 30 to 40 years or more – in the “Wild Wild West” of financial services that is extraordinary. I am thankful for my office team. My employees are more than talented, they are decent human beings.
With a year filled with expected and unexpected medical bills, and despite ever-increasing premiums and a high out-of-pocket limit, I am thankful for health insurance. I am thankful for medical research and the hope it brings to all.
I am thankful for the tail wind of strong investment markets. A full sail pushes us toward our financial goals even with realistic expectations of dead calms and stormy waters in volatile seasons. This year, I am thankful for worldwide stock gains, particularly in emerging markets. Oh yea, I am also thankful for investment diversification.
I am thankful for the slow but steady U.S. economic recovery that has occurred since the Great Recession. In fact, I am thankful and encouraged by a recent report from Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., that posts, “every one of the world’s 45 largest economies tracked by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) has grown this year, and the OECD has forecast another year of growth for major global economies in 2018.”
I am thankful for the thought partners in my life: leaders in my profession, friendly colleagues, researchers, and business consultants that challenge me to grow, often beyond my comfort zone.
In general, I am thankful for generous people. I am thankful for my faith community. I am thankful for my supportive and loving family.
As with every year, I am 100% certain that 2018 will present us with financial opportunities and challenges, celebrations and disappointments. We will tackle tomorrow when it comes, but for today, I am simply thankful.
–Paul
