Time and Money: Money Bought Me Time

The posts on this blog have been sparse lately. Despite my best intentions, I haven’t written much. Caring for my dad, managing my parents’ finances, tending to my children, and completing a never-ending list of household chores haven’t left time for my daily musings. 

There was a time when I would get itchy if I didn’t share something here, but over the last year, I haven’t had time to feel guilty for ditching my blog.

The truth is, it’s been a crazy couple of years. Between the everyday moments of life, I lived through a pandemic, homeschooled my kids, guided my dad through a cancer diagnosis, searched for a new home, moved to a new city, and sold our old house. 

Then I cleaned out my parent’s place, helped my dad navigate a broken medical system, brought him home to hospice, planned his funeral, began executing his last wishes, and started supporting my mom. She checked into the hospital three weeks after my dad died.

Life is messy, and before I finish cleaning up one mess, life moves me on to the next one.

If I had written a letter to my future self, I never would have imagined all the twists and turns my life would undertake. Nevertheless, I cannot help but feel immense gratitude for the opportunity to be with the people I love when they need me most.

This blog is about money, but it’s also about time freedom, and happiness. It’s about carving out the minutes that matter for the things and people we most love. We trade our time for money, but how do we make the most of our time as we strive to gain enough?

When I began saving money in my early twenties, I didn’t aim for a specific goal. I just piled money into the bank account, hoping it would be there when I needed it.

Why would I need it? I wasn’t sure. It turns out I needed it when I faced chronic illness, left my high-paying job, faced infertility, lost a company, and homeschooled my children. Most recently, I needed that money when my dad asked for help.

When he needed guidance throughout his medical treatments, I didn’t need to worry about going to work. As he ended his earthly journey, I had the time to stand beside him.

The best thing about financial freedom is paying my bills without worry. I don’t hesitate to help my parents, kids, or spouse when they ask for help. I didn’t recognize the magnitude of that freedom until now.

I am grateful for my husband, who likes to pile money in the bank as much as I do. Our twenty-year-old selves could never have imagined the power of compounding interest or the opportunities it could provide.

The last few years have been incredibly stressful and, at times, downright heartbreaking, but thanks to financial independence, I did not face financial stress while facing them head-on.

While my dad was sick, I never had to weigh the importance of a job against my desire to be with him. When my kids were small, I didn’t have to choose between them and a career I needed to pay my bills.

The greatest gift of financial freedom is the time it gives us. I am so grateful for the time it gave me this last year to be with my dad!