What Goes Around, Comes Around

 

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.” Vince Lombardi

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer.

One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself.

Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s sparse dwelling.

An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy that farmer Fleming had saved.

“I want to repay you,” said the nobleman. “You saved my son’s life.”

“No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,” the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer.
At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the family’s little cottage. “Is that your son?” the nobleman asked. “Yes,” the farmer replied proudly.

“I’ll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he’ll grow to a man you can be proud of” said the nobleman.

And that he did. In time, farmer Fleming’s son graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the nobleman’s son was stricken with pneumonia.

What saved him?

Penicillin.

The nobleman’s name?

Lord Randolph Churchill. His son’s name? Sir Winston Churchill, the man who saved England from destruction in World War II.

What Goes Around Comes Around

Life’s funny sometimes isn’t it? We can’t always predict what will happen, but stories such as the one above give us hope that if we just do the right things, in the end everything will turn out for the best.

The Financial Lesson

Our financial and investment activities usually work the same way as described above. We all have choices. We can invest and save for tomorrow or we can spend our money living for today. The choice is ours.

Americans Today

Savings rate in America today are at the lowest level since the Great Depression. One study estimates that baby boomers are saving only 38.5% of what they should be if they want to maintain their standard of living in retirement. Americans on average only save 2% of their personal income.

Social Security is in trouble. And even if the system is fixed, the average retiree’s check will be the equivalent of working for minimum wage. And, only 40% of all workers have pensions on which they can count.

What About You?

Each and every one of us need to ask ourselves the question of whether or not we are doing the “right” things for ourselves and our families in preparing for the future.

Do we have any savings? And if so how much?

Are we systematically adding to our nest egg or simply relying on the “market” to grow our investments? And if we have investments, how are they invested? With a plan or haphazardly?
We all know the “right” things to do, but are we doing them?

As farmer Fleming and nobleman Churchill can attest—“What Goes Around, Comes Around.”

Invitation

Hopefully, this true story of Sir Alexander Fleming and Sir Winston Churchill has both entertained and provided you with some food for thought.

If you’re not a client yet, and you’d like to explore the option of developing a professionally designed and managed investment portfolio comprised of no-load mutual funds, please give me a call.

I’d be happy to sit down with you and explain how as a fee-only investment advisor I can assist you in meeting your financial goals.

Marshall Sitarik – CFP
Ph. 407-977-3800