once upon a time (lyn)

I used to go shopping and buy what I wanted.  I remember once going into Bergdorf’s looking for a coat.  I ended up coming home with two:  a navy Prada knee length coat, and a navy Prada nylon coat.  I had and wore both of them until today.

Today I take the nylon coat (along with a Chanel bag) to Designer Resale, a high-end seller of used items.  I no longer buy anything without agonizing first over how I’ll pay for it.  I won’t buy anything if I have to incur interest on it.  And now, I’m re-selling stuff to get money to put toward a new fall coat.  It’s not the most comfortable way to live.

A good friend of mine once had a big, high-paying job at a design firm.  She quit a few years ago and has been freelancing since.  Sometimes it’s good, and sometimes it’s not.  But it’s never dependable.

Another friend worries daily about “not meeting her numbers” and getting laid off.  She, too, is well educated, smart and hard working.

And still another friend works weekends and nights and does whatever it takes; still, she hasn’t gotten a raise or a bonus in years.  She eats mostly yogurt and Nutella to be able to spend money on sample sale clothes and her kids.

And then there’s my smart, creative one time boss who, with her husband, has developed an innovative product that could save lives; yet she too, waits for funding.  And waits.  And waits.

So many people I know are struggling financially.  I never thought life would be this hard.

I am an optimist, though, and I would still rather worry about finances than health.  I come from a family of good genes, and for that, I am deeply grateful.