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More than Money

December 30th, 2006 at 07:12 am

It has been a sad end to the year. On Thursday I went to the funeral of a very special friend who passed away just before Christmas. D was born brain damaged and much of his life was spent in an institution. The great desire of his life was to be free of the authorities, and in the end he managed this, with his own little house and a gardening job.

His needs were few and simple; he loved to chat with his church friends and take an occasional bus trip. He was cheerful, honest, and he enriched the lives of those he met by his efforts to overcome his challenges. Goodbye D, we'll miss your enjoyment of life - and your never failing readiness to provide chocolates.

The other thing I had to do this week was visit a friend in the psychiatric ward, and I am quite sure that debt played its role in her breakdown. She was a single mom who, after having the courage to leave an abusive relationship, tried to compensate her children by giving them everything. There was nothing she wouldn't do for them, but, in spite of warnings from family and friends, she couldn't see that the lifestyle she was attempting to provide was beyond her means. When I talked to her, she was in complete denial, and her paranoia was an final attempt to avoid reality. I don't know what will happen now; I guess she will go bankrupt and lose everything. But when you get to the very bottom, there is no way to go but up, and I am hoping that now she will be able to cooperate with the help she needs to work her way out of this mess.

3 Responses to “More than Money”

  1. LuckyRobin Says:
    1167463041

    I'm sorry about the death of your friend.

  2. PRICEPLUS Says:
    1167465921

    I will keep both of your friends in my prayers!

  3. baselle Says:
    1167527119

    I've been thinking that there is such a thing as a spending addiction, and it can be as powerful as alcohol, cigarettes, and gambling. If the action makes you feel good enough to ignore your problems, it can be abused.

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