A Week of Gratitude, Day Five - The Freedom to Act

Thursday, December 6, 2012
When I first moved back to Colorado after leaving active duty in 1996, I chose to take a job at Lucent Technologies as a technician. In hindsight, it was the best professional decision I've ever made, but my first 18 months on Lucent's payroll were tight. I started out making $9.15 an hour, and had the usual bills to pay, plus child support as the Smart Twins were living with their father at that point. On less than $20K a year.

So I know what it feels like to have no disposable income, to go into debt to manage the necessities, to hope like hell your POS Ford Escort doesn't break down because you have no resources to effect repairs. While Lucent provided excellent benefits in terms of health insurance and such, I was always, always one paycheck away from being homeless. Which made me no different than millions of other Americans.

Thankfully I didn't lose my job during that time, and eventually I ended up working in the field I'm in now, making far more money than I ever thought I would.

I like making a lot of money,* but not the for the usual reasons. Yes, it's fabulous to never have to worry about being able to make the mortgage, to not have to consider the "budget" when deciding on which cut of meat to purchase, to save significant portions of my salary for retirement, to realize that we have enough money in the bank to tide us over for a while if I lose my fabulous job in the Military Industrial Complex (HELLO, SEQUESTRATION). All of these things are critical to living a low stress life, and I'm grateful, each and every day, that I don't have to live my life on the knife edge of poverty.

But the thing I love, the thing that gives me pleasure about my financial situation is the freedom it gives me to act.  When my friends have a run of bad luck, I'm in a position to treat them to lunch, or an evening out. When my Hot Daughter has an accident, I can pay the deductible on the repairs and she can pay me back. When my Hot Mom needs something to make her life a little easier, I can pay for it without having to reevaluate my budget. And when I see something that I know, I just know, would be a perfect gift for someone I care for, I can just buy it.

Today I'm grateful that my financial situation allows me to not only support me and my family comfortably, but lets me help my friends and family, as well. 


__________
*I consider "a lot" to be a subjective term. I certainly make a lot compared to what I was living on in 1996. I also make a lot relative to our family budget because we're extremely conservative in terms of living below our means. But compared to people who have real money I might as well work part-time at Wal-Mart.

2 comments:

Dana Teel said...

I am in a similar situation. I retired from the Navy in 1998 and returned to school to get a degree in Electrical Engineering. I now work as a civilian for the US Navy. Financially my story is comparable to yours and I too am grateful for what I have. I think I might be a bit behind you on that curve, but I'm surely on the right track now. Counting our blessings, always a good idea.

Anne C. said...

As someone who has been on the receiving end of your generosity, I too am grateful for your freedom to act. ;)

And I am thankfully not as restricted as I was either. So I have the same gratitude.