You Can't Take it With You

A few years ago I had a conversation with two people about the expense of my mountain bike. When I stated the cost of the bike, one of them had a total blowout and was upset because I robbed the family coffer of valuable resources. Noticing that he was already overweight and had several significant health conditions involving his heart and his pancreas I made the comment that the amount of money that I spent on my bicycle was very likely less than the co-pays on all the medications that he had been taking.

As you can imagine, that went over really big.

The other guy listening to the conversation knew the point that I was attempting to make and asked where he could go to buy such a fine machine, and what would it take to get into biking. To this day he still rides! He is a lot healthier for it and finds it fun and amusing for his body and soul. Well worth the investment.

Probably nobody likes spending money on equipment for triathlons. It is an expensive sport. There is the cost of hardware like bicycles, heart rate monitors, and a couple dozen pairs of running shoes adds up! Not to mention race fees, transportation to and from events, hotels and eating like a pig. 

Most of us have limited time and financial resources. We get to choose how we are going to spend both. Both of those choices have consequences for good and for bad. We can choose to spend our efforts perfecting our craft and having lots of fun or keep our time and money and wonder what might have been.

Why not make some plans and dream some dreams and go do what sounds like the best thing you can do?

I am not suggesting that we spend effort, time and money in a harmful manner to our family or to ourselves, but be prudent and keep things in a proper, predetermined balance.

There will come a time when we will be lying stiff and cold in a wooden or metal box. You won't be able to take your goodies with you. Hopefully we will slide in there with a smile on our face. Great memories are not made being idle. 

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