Deciding if I wanted to get a job was never an option. My parents, particularly my mother, were very specific about financial behavior in our family. (Her beliefs and enforcement of them would be esteemed in today’s society although many folks and special interest groups would complain as much as I did. She would treat them as she did me; with compassion, understanding and heavy doses of tough love.)
My mother’s financial philosophy consisted in believing you either increased your income or decreased your desires. Instant gratification was not considered. I visited Bergner’s for eight weeks to pay a dollar each visit on a skirt I bought on lay-away. The skirt’s color and style are not clearly recalled but the lesson learned remains crystal clear. “If you want something badly enough, you’ll find an honorable way to pay for it.” My parents could have afforded to buy that skirt for me, and they knew I knew that, but they believed in teaching me financial discipline.
Downtown Kresge’s sold hot dogs and a mug of soda for a quarter back in the day. I agonized about spending my hard-earned allowance on food that would be only a memory ten minutes after purchasing it. Bus fare was a dime and usually my sister and I walked home rather than spend our money. The fact that it was our money is probably what influenced us. Had it been my parents’ funds we were spending, the choice would have been simple.
High school graduation signaled the need to find employment. College was not something I pursued in earnest until much later in my life. Besides, my parents told me if I wanted a college education, I would have to help pay for it. With that condition hampering my scholastic pursuit, I decided to pursue employment. Neither decision did I ever regret.
Whether one gets a job, embarks on a new career, seeks employment to fulfill a lifelong dream or simply goes to work each day, there are similar processes, with results and rewards that include a paycheck. But in between are considerable options and opportunities. Work need not define individuals, but they need to discover defining moments in how they spend time and energy earning that paycheck. It’s never all about money, but financial payoffs definitely enter into it.
My first job at 16 was summer work as a cashier at a neighborhood drug store for $1.00 an hour. I loved it. The following summer I worked in a large restaurant, bussing tables initially and later cashiering. It was a learning experience about the importance of job satisfaction. Working for Ozark Airlines in 1967 was my first full-time job. The benefits and insights gleaned from diverse people and situations continue to influence my life today, along with friendships made.
My employment record has considerable gaps because I was able to live my dream of being a stay-at-home mom. “Working” is not always accompanied by a paycheck, but lessons learned from my parents concerning money management provided helpful direction for living on a household income cut in half.
Today’s economy is different, but many financial disciplines are timeless. Careers are also varied but basic economics remain sound. Sometimes that pot of gold is absolutely worth striving for, and sometimes a simpler lifestyle provides greater satisfaction. Accepting financial responsibility, making mature decisions, delaying gratification and future planning creates a sense of accomplishment and security. If more resources are needed, working more or longer will help provide. Learning to live with integrity and gratitude has proven its worth through the years.