THE LESSON OF RICE & BEANS..........

When I first got married, we were poor, but in love. As the months went by and I tried to get a break, my wife used to tell me that as long as we had each other, she would be happy living under a tree. This statement empowered me to not strive or become ruthless to get ahead. At the same time, it motivated me to provide a nest for her and I......I went about making a living....just working hard that's all.

                                                     What one man can do, another can do

I remember saving enough to buy a home and borrowed the rest from my boss at the time. We barely had enough left over after all expenses. No matter because..... my wife used to buy these big sacks of rice and beans and fix them creatively..... all week long. Its filling, I ate well, and I learned to appreciate meat when I got it....Meanwhile, the mortgage got paid and the kids went to school....it goes on this thing we call..... life.

We learned how to live on less.....in order to get more out of life

If PITI makes sense, that is.... if it is the same amount of money to rent as it is to own, well that math propels people forward in their thinking and spending to buy a home. You can always find a way to bring in the minimum amount of money needed. After-all, you have to live somewhere? That was the pitch my wife used on me to get me to sign the 30 page small print loan docs that scared me to deaths door....

Do not let the idea of "keeping up with the Jones" creep its way into your life. Stay focused on the fact that you are on track with your "baby steps". I remember a man who was given the task of moving a huge mountain full of rocks. He was asked how he was going to do it...It was so big. He replied......a little at a time. It got done.......

Life is that way.....live it a little at a time.......savor it...all of it

Sacrifice is a good thing. It has a way of creating an inner value you just cannot buy. You have to live it, experience it, and then you are part of an elite group of people....who know things and understand them.

One other thing, I hear over and over again from very well-off people how they miss the game and the playing of it. They made money, found success, and realized their goals. But they miss acting out the journey, the steps taken to get "there" and because of that, many look for opportunities not for the pay-off any more, but for the pleasure of finishing what you start....

The lesson of Rice & Beans helped me make giant leaps in my life for myself, my family, and those around me.