Many of my best blogs are missing.

No, they weren’t swallowed by my computer, although my laptop has digested more than one document.

Let me explain.

The first step in writing my blog is inspiration.  What should I write about this week?  That is the more difficult part for me.  The actual writing is easier.  Fortunately, at some point during my week, often while I’m walking, I’m struck with a promising idea for my next blog.

After that spark of inspiration, the next step is simply to remember the idea. Unfortunately, my ideas have a half-life of about 12 seconds. So unless I write them down immediately, and I do mean immediately, I am likely to forget them.  Perversely, it seems that the better the idea, the more quickly I forget it.  (Is this a delusion?  Maybe one day I’ll write about that, if I remember.)

Many years ago Roberta, a writer/friend of my father’s, complained that her best ideas bloomed in the middle of the night, only to become lost by morning.  Dad suggested that she buy one of those new-fangled tape recorders so she could record the idea on tape as soon as it came to her.

She did.  But Roberta ultimately reported to Dad that those “middle of the night blossoms” seemed dehydrated in the light of day.

Even though my iPhone is almost always with me and, if not, there is always the old fashioned method – pen and paper, I’ve always had a mental block against writing my ideas down.  Even when I really push myself, I only write down about half.

This morning I had two excellent business ideas.  By afternoon all I remembered was that they were terrific because I had completely forgotten what they were.

So if you have any great ideas for my next blog, please share.  I’ve already forgotten most of mine.

Oh, well.  At least this blog is finished.

Cheers.

Please.

Alan

When I arrived home yesterday evening Daveen and I hugged, as usual. We’ve been together for forty years now and know how to read each other’s moods. She seemed a bit preoccupied, so I asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Later,” she said.

I’ve also learned that timing is everything. So I waited.

As we climbed into bed Daveen was ready to talk. “I had a bad morning,” she said.

She had been driving south on Sepulveda on her way to visit our new grandson when she thought she saw a dog lying by the side of the road.  She couldn’t stop quickly enough, but finally turned her car around.  When she got back to the dog there were two other cars parked nearby, and one man was on his cell phone.”

“Was the dog hurt?” I asked.

“It wasn’t a dog.  It was a small deer.  I sat down beside it.  It looked like its legs were broken.”

“Oh, no.”

“I called 911.  They connected me to animal control.”  Daveen shook her head.  “I will never do that again,” she said, with considerable feeling.

Daveen touched the deer, trying to comfort her. The deer seemed to relax and began nuzzling Daveen’s leg.

“She was very weak,” Daveen said.  Then she began to sob.

“We…we…the deer and I had a connection.  I felt it.  I told her that everything was going to be all right.  That I would help her.  After I told her it was going to be okay, I believed it.  But then animal control arrived.  It was awful.

“They took one look at the deer and said they would have to kill her.”

“What?”

Now there were tears in my eyes.

“That’s exactly what they said.  That they would have to shoot her.  Alan, I felt so completely helpless.  There was nothing I could do.  They wouldn’t even let me touch her again.  There was nothing I could do.”

I felt helpless as well. I told Daveen I loved her and I patted her back while she cried on my shoulder.  Sometimes just being present is the best and only comfort you can offer.

“I will never do anything with animal control again,” she said.  “Never in my life.”

“Of course, honey.”

“Next time I’ll be sure to call animal rescue,” she said.  “Maybe they would actually help.”

It was a long time before either of us fell asleep.

Alan

Last week, for the first time in over a year, one of my sons and I resumed having our monthly lunch at a lovely restaurant with outdoor seating.

It felt great to return to our regular routine, as if our lunch conversations had never been interrupted.

At some point my son brought up the subject of saving money. “When I was young,” I said, “I had two major reasons to save money.  First, to pay for whatever medical care my family might need.  Second, to pay for a college education for my children.”

He laughed.  “That’s exactly what my father-in-law says, and as you know, he’s from another country.”

I was delighted to learn that another member of our extended family shares the same value.

There are other reasons why you might want to save money.  When he was 18, my father held a full time position as First French Horn for the Minneapolis symphony orchestra.  He saved part of his salary so he could afford to get married.  I certainly like the result of that idea.

When I was 21 I formed a specific plan to accumulate enough money to retire at age 35.  Fourteen years later, despite achieving my financial goal, I found that I enjoyed my work so much that I continue. It’s been another 46 years so far.  I feel like the airline pilot who announced to his passengers, “Ninety-nine percent of the time you don’t need me.  But when you do need me, you really need me.” I’m glad I continue be here for so many investors through the years to help them achieve their own financial goals, and accumulate enough money to support what’s most important in their lives.

Today, all of my children are grown and able to support themselves. They handle their own money, and can pay for their own education and health care.  Now I can take delight in the delightful people they turned out to be.  Every one of them has graduated from college and is making their mark in the world.  Now it’s their turn to provide health care and a good education for children of their own.

Alan