Life can be really unpredictable. I remember having a discussion with a friend of mine few years back on how one second someone can lose it all, and she was like that can only happen due to the person’s carelessness and lack of financial security. While she was talking based on what she maybe what she had heard or read from somewhere, I was talking based on experience.
Now here is my story. My dad once worked in a construction company that well-known years back and even presently. He wasn’t just a mere staff in the company but also one of those that had a high ranking in the company. His was well-known in the company. The line of his work brought him in contact with a good number of influential people. There were also certain occasions that he worked with foreign expatriates.
He was provided with a company car and a driver that always picked him up when he needed to report to work.
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He was still able to afford another car of his own though. We also had a home that was provided by the comfortable. You could say we were living a comfortable life back then. Until a day came, and all of a sudden, the company started laying off some of their staffs. Unfortunately, my dad was one of them. They took away the car. I remember playing on the porch with my toy car the faithful day we the last of our luggage packed in the trunk of the car with my parents and siblings already in the car as my mom beckoned on me to quickly get into the car as we zoomed off.
In just a second, things took an unexpected turn. No one had seen this coming. The sudden turn of events was not due to an act of misbehaviour or misconduct on my dad’s part. Even for the fact that he had a high ranking in the company did not stop him from being laid off with the rest. At first it was quite tough, having to start afresh. We had to move into a new house. That was the first time we what it was like to pay rent. We also had to get used to the irregularities with light supply because the former house we resided at provided us with constant power supply, 24/7.
But with time, we gradually bounced back up and got to our feet. My dad eventually got hired by another construction company. Though the past experience felt overwhelming, it had some positive aspects to with. For one, it taught to be always ready for the unexpected. It also taught us to always have a back up plan should incase the unexpected does occur. Having a job is not really a bad idea. But where it becomes a problem is when you depend solely on it probably because of the good pay. There is nothing personal with business at all. Because your boss is paying you well or giving you thumbs up or a pat on the back does not guarantee that you have a permanent spot or mean a situation would not arise that may strip you off your duties.
So in a way, this seemingly disappointment was a blessing. Because opened us up to the importance of investment. Trust me, investment really pays off. People make the mistake of just saving their money with no particular plan for it. Or worse, they just make it to spend it unwisely, when in the real sense it is meant to go into investment so as to yield more.
