This weekend I spent several hours at, in and around one of the largest houses I’ve ever been visited; it was palatial. It featured the kinds of staircases and rooms with multiple doors that immediately made me think of a Scooby-Doo mansion. At the same time, it is ultra modern including the kind of home theatre I’ve only seen on television. The owner of the house, I’ll call him Albert, seemed like a geuninely nice man who loves his family and has many similar priorities to mine. (This is based on less than 10 minutes of conversation but watching him interact with others during the course of these several hours.)

 

I had so many questions for Albert. What sacrifices have you made to reach this point in your life? Do you enjoy your job? Is your workweek stress level overwhelming? Do you interact with your family as much and in the ways you’d like?

 

I enjoy my job greatly and it provides many of the things work ideally would provide. Yet money is a constant concern. Even though I don’t want a house like Albert’s (and I might argue that no one needs one), I do want more. At least, the ability to do more. For myself and for many others. I would like to bring my wife’s grandmother to live with us but that’s just not feasible with our house. I’d like to feel confident that my son can make his college choice without finances being a determining factor, or at least, without having to bear a crippling student loan burden like the one I have.

 

So, I guess, I’m still wondering how much more like Albert I want to become. Or even can?

 

FDO

• Just me