In my Financial practice I have the privilege of discussing what my clients would like to leave to their kids as a legacy. It’s an important discussion for most parents to have and plan for.
Growing up on a farm in Africa my mother (who I am not sure ever made it to 4 feet tall – she might one day) had six rambunctious kids who grew up without much money, without electricity and had to constantly fix a borehole (water well) to get running water. (And I’m sure we walked uphill both ways in the snow to the school bus)
Although my mom has never had financial riches to give to us, she somehow always made ends meet and sacrificed so much in order to give her sporty over-active and high-achieving kids opportunities in a way that we never really knew that we did not have much.
“It’s not what we leave to our kids it’s what we leave in out kids” – TD Jakes
What my mother has left to us though is so much more valuable than money
- An appreciation of Sunsets
- Tap dancing – when life comes at you, keep tapping
- Inquisitive minds – our encyclopedia set was worn out
- Forgiveness instead of bitterness – she had much to be bitter about but I never saw it
- Enough instead of abundance – an appreciation for what we have
- Friends in abundance – to this day, she has an abundance of friends and all our friends love her
- Hospitality and welcoming people into your home no matter how humble it is – no matter how little we had, there was always room for our friends to stay over at the farm and always a wonderful breakfast for them in the morning
- Integrity to do the right thing
- The principle of hard work
- The desire to seek information and grow in knowlege
- Legacy of a decent education
- The legacy of the law of economics – You cannot expect to get without first giving
- Lending people money – Give it and don’t expect it back, that way if it does come back to you its a surprise
- Value other people – you do not know what their circumstances are until you have walked in their shoes
And the list could go on and on – thanks Mom, we love you! Happy Mothers day!
Dave Coen is CEO of College Planning America and a Registered Representative – Sageview Advisory
714-813-1703 davec@collegeplanningamerica.com
Apply for a College Planning America Scholarship