My grandfather being in the hospital really puts things into perspective for me. No matter how wealthy we are, it means nothing if we aren’t healthy. Many people, including myself, work so hard at our jobs. We miss lunches, and sometimes sleep just to advance our career a little more. We work late on weekdays and on weekends because we think we can make more money that way. Although I can tell you first hand that the financial reward is there, our health definitely suffers.
Whether it’s the extra stress we put on our bodies or the lack of healthy food we consume, it takes a toll on our bodies over time. When we are young, we don’t feel it but we are slowly and surely degrading our health. We might end up being rich, but we are more likely to end up being sick.
By overworking, we are also likely neglecting our family and friends. Unfortunately, there is only 24 hours in a day. Therefore, we are deciding how best to use our time every minute of our day. When we are working, we cannot be spending time with our family or our friends. My family for instance decided that my dad should work in Hong Kong when we immigrated to Canada. Consequently, I spent most of my teenage years away from my dad. Although this was very hard for me, it was much harder for my father since he was the one making the most sacrifice by living alone in Hong Kong. Although I’m sure our family’s financial situation improved because of the decision made years ago, we all traded many potential family moments for it.
In this blog, we discuss ways to achieve financial freedom. But if we are sick, our finances are usually one of the last things that we think about. For my grandfather, no gold will make him happy. It is our love that he seeks now, and it is love that we will do our best to provide.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
thanks for your insight. i couldn’t agree with you more. a short prayer for your family is in order. success. “a warm healing light goes with you and surrounds the ones you love.”
My thoughts are with you…
Best wishes to your grandpa.
So true. I recently wrote a post about what it meant to me to have a good life. I made it very clear that none of it was possible without your friends and families. It’s times like that really highlight that.
I hope your grandfather makes it through.
Almost 3 years ago I sat at my Father’s bedside thru the nite with my 2 brothers and 2 sisters waiting for him to take his last breath. At 4 something in the morning I realized that we were really the ones that mattered to him most and the one thing he gave us (that was MOST appreciated) was his time. I have 4 kids age 18 to 6 … I coach every one of their sports, never miss an audition and kiss them to bed every night.
Hopefully, some here will pause to reflect on their desire to acheive financial freedom, like it says on the banner up top “… because the little things matter …”. In my case its my kids that matter the most.
Sorry your grandfather is sick and I hope he pulls thru. You seem to be realizing your health is important, but so is quality time with those you love most.
cool post
Amen. My father always says “If you have your have your health, you have everything. “
moneypro, this post is inappropriate and could use a preface of some human sort. read the feed title and place your ad at an appropriate place. thanks.
Sorry to hear about your grand dad. The striking balance that juggles between work, health and family time isn’t really easy and I’m glad you’re that kind of person David.
Take good care.
Indeed, one of the worthwhile goals in life is to keep things in perspective all the time (as taught in Buddhist study). Striking that balance between relationships and material goods can prove to be a lifelong lesson which continually evolves.
I can tell you care deeply about your family David
Hi Dave,
I understand what you’re going through. My grandfather was very sick and ultimately passed away recently and it threw my financial life plans into a spin for a while. Luckily I was able to pull through and things are better now. Good luck
-Raymond
It’s always good to be reminded of what’s really important in life.
I hope your grandfather gets better soon. I know first-hand how it is to be in his situation. I haven’t yet talked about it (and maybe someday I will) but I’ve been in his position a couple of times because of health problems I can completely attribute to a stressful lifestyle. So I hope your grandfather has a very speedy recovery.
So true. I used to be a sucker for overtime. It came to the point where nothing made me happier than to see my savings grow leaps and bounds. It grew alright, up to the point where I got burnt out. Almost half of my savings went to medication.
Health is indeed equivalent to wealth. Our family could have saved up a lot of cash today had we not been spending on my dad’s diabetes treatment.
To your grandpa’s speedy recovery…
I hope everything turned out ok with your grandfather. I recently lost mine and happen to find your page on google. Sorry, I’m just reading and remembering
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You’re right-money is not everything-it’s the ONLY thing.
I realized this after I got sick, and couldn’t work, made me realized that all the money in the world wouldn’t make me happy.
Even I believe that worst part in chasing money is that you miss-out so much of precious family time
I had a girlfriend, gal-pal, and companion ( who just passed away ) whose health was in crisis since 2007. She and her husband were financially comfortable, with him being a former engineering department head of Smith’s/GE industries. She had been a college professor. All he worshiped was his fame, power, prestige and of course money. He worked long hours, weekends and also spent many hours thinking about work when home. However, because of his living up to being an Engineer, he lost his wife’s affections and need of him other than the great health insurance and yearly salary.
By the time they both were 34, she no longer liked him or loved him as a wife should. She cut him off from all sexual-physical contact, with no kissing or other contact as well. She kicked him out the bed, and he had to sleep in the second bedroom alone. He was as emasculated as a man could become. Yet, he continued to call her “his angel”!?
But he had his money intact because he insisted they couldn’t divorce. She stuck with it because of appearances ( for him ) and a teenage daughter. She busied herself with her girlfriends and me. Her health suffered because he was a bully, for he is a mental and verbal abuser. He never ever would apologize or say he was sorry for his in-artful insensitive way of talking to her or her friends ( me ) which was often. She had tried for years to make him aware of his less than stellar personality. It didn’t matter. In his mind, he was greater than God, rich, powerful and in charge.
He’d sit at his computer daily checking all of his/their investments and gleefully rubbed his hand together as he saw his dividends and interests accrue. Money was/is his God. It is what he worships. He has no real friends, and all of his past colleagues despised him. His daughter lives on the East coast where she too is a money grubber and not very likable. He lives in Michigan. He too has many health issues and is over weight and out of shape. He is 70 yrs. old. But now, he’ll have all of his Bags o’ Money for just himself. Interestingly, he is telling people he is still a great catch! He is woman shopping via his bridge circle. God help us all.
To some people, nothing else matters in life but a fat bank account. Sickening.