Do It Anyway

Do It Anyway

Superman could do it. He could fly in and save you with his superpowers. However, he already has a day job-saving the planet from arch-villains…and besides, even HE can't be everywhere at once.

Besides, you can't afford his rates. And talk about not affording rates?

Have you been quoted a cost yet for a service to come to your house and fix something? Whew!

It's like you have to agree to fully fund the retirement of such people in order to get them to do a simple job. Whatever happened to doing decent work at a decent price?

Or decent ANYTHING at a decent price.

But, we are so-o-o-o frightened to say that out loud, aren't we, lest others think less of us-like we are cheapskates or something.

Do it anyway.

They used to call being frugal with your money responsible…or even reasonable. A reasonable job for a reasonable rate. Sounds arcane, doesn't it?

That phrase is about as out-of-date as, “Heaven knows, anything goes.”

Only it does go.

It goes and goes and goesmoney, that is.

You know, there are two types of folks, don't you?

Type One Folks-who expect something for their money.

And Type Two Folks-who call Type One Folks nameslike tightwad or the like. Don't let it hurt your feelings any.

Do it anyway. Watch your money. Don't try to keep up with the Jones. If the Jones family wants to join hands and jump over the financial cliff, don't dive in after them.

Take my word for it; as you get along in life, the list of things YOU DON'T care about anymore gets longer and longer, and the list of things YOU DO care about gets correspondingly shorter.

And blowing through wads of dough to buy happiness is a delusion that many tell themselves. It's like the admonition of Stephen King: “We lie best when we lie to ourselves.”

What are you going to do with all that loot anyway? Stuff it back in the closet for a rainy day, like some demented hoarder?

To me, it sounds like a joke.

Now, people WILL deride your basic cable, or the fact that you don't spring for coloring your hair. The only place MYhair is still brown is in my memory. After all, you gotta sweat and strain for a dollar, so why shouldn't anyone who's trying to squeeze a buck out of you have to also?

You want your money's worth.

If you don't like an insurance company's charges, fire them.

I did.

Some may snicker at your decision.

Do it anyway.

I know that being pennywise draws condescension these days. And that's okay. Know what else is okay?

Being yourself in any arena and any situation.

For instance, what happened last Sunday night at a fast-food place.

My wife and I ran inside to get something to eat, and this teenage girl was standing at the counter, having just placed her order.

And she was staring a hole through me-like I was Jo-Jo, the two-faced boy, just escaped from a carnival freak show.

Finally, she spoke up with, “You two just come from church?”

Obviously, she saw the attire we were dressed in, which was respectable and modest apparel.

“Yes, we did,” I responded.

Her eyes widened and she blurted out, “For R-e-e-e-al?”

I didn't bother to answer.

I know I know a slam when I hear it. And it WAS a personal slam-like going to church on Sunday night was something to be ashamed of, or that we should hide our faces in disgrace because of our religion. Like we were an endangered species that she had just discovereddinosaurs walking the earth again.

Yet, these are the times we live in. Most people (and I will not quibble about numbers here) don't go to church anymore. That puts my wife and I in the minority. But, we have to live in these times, whether we agree with what goes on or not. And our views may not agree with the majority.

So what?

Do it anyway.

And as for being called names?

I can live with that.

“For R-e-e-e-a-l!”

By Robert L. Hall