A lifetime isn’t forever, so take the first chance, don’t wait for the second one!
~C. JoyBell C.
Fresh out of college and newly married, my husband and I started our life together in an economically challenged Canadian community. Leapfrogging from one temporary job to the next, we squeaked by with the hope of purchasing a home someday, but it was a dream firmly planted in a distant future. The idea of assuming a mortgage at the risk of losing everything had no appeal, so we scrimped, saved and bided our time.
We took advantage of the free things in life that filled our souls with happiness, like time spent camping, hiking, and swimming. Our love for the great outdoors provided an escape from the daily grind and, by rare chance one day, an opportunity. During one of our outings, we spotted a for-sale sign advertising a snippet of paradise along the shoreline of Lake Superior. It was a little chunk of land to call — well, not quite home but the next best thing — camp.
This untamed waterfront property had just listed on the market for a relatively inexpensive sum. It offered a view to die for, along with a mountain of work to whip the uncleared land into shape. But we were young, with plenty of energy and time to burn. Still, with our limited funds, could we afford such a venture? Then again, could we afford not to take advantage of an opportunity? We were conflicted. For objective advice, we turned to Steve’s uncle.
Uncle Joe was an accomplished, kindhearted man whose opinion we valued. He had provided Steve with sound advice in the past. “Take all you can get out of life… and more,” he had once told my husband. When Steve frowned at what appeared to be a self-centric view, Joe qualified his statement. “I don’t mean greed. I mean prosperity in the vast sense. Pursue the things that will make your life rich and prosperous in all things and pursue them with enthusiasm. Make informed decisions that lead to happiness as well as prosperity.”
After dwelling on the fear factor of purchasing the shoreline property, Steve sought his uncle’s advice again, explaining that assuming a large debt was a huge risk for us.
Uncle Joe smiled reassuringly. “Well, Steve, my advice to you is simple. If you wait until you can afford to take a risk on something, you will never take a risk on anything. So, ask yourself this: Will I regret it later if I walk away now?”
We looked at each other. “Yes, we would.”
The next day, Steve and I scraped together enough for a down payment. Delighted with our first big purchase, we wasted no time clearing a meager path to the waterfront. We spent every possible moment at the lot, camping, swimming, having fun, and building dreams. That pursuit gave us the courage to take on a bigger project. Two years later, with secure employment, we used the lot as collateral to purchase our first home.
A few years passed, and another downturn in the economy made it a struggle for us to maintain both properties and remain employed. Facing relocation for employment meant selling everything and taking an even greater risk. Joe’s advice echoed in our minds, along with a few clichéd proverbs: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” and “Go big or stay home.” Since staying meant losing our home, we decided to go big. Florida had a booming economy and wonderful weather. So, after much debate and research, we decided we would move from one end of the I-75 highway to the other. Why shovel snow if you have an alternative?
A few things were needed before we could leave. First, we had to advance our educations and prepare our home and property for sale. A little planning and preparation ensured a successful relocation and a future filled with prosperity. We squeaked out a living at odd jobs while pursuing our dream, and two years later, still adhering to Joe’s original advice, we made the ultimate leap. We moved from the great white north to the sunny south. It was an enormous risk but one that paid off. Steve and I settled into advancing careers, a new life in a new home, and time walking the soft sands of sunny beaches — another paradise found. Eventually, we even celebrated becoming American citizens.
By our twentieth anniversary, Steve and I had accomplished most of our goals because of a few simple, sound words of wisdom. But there is always a flip side.
When the recession hit Florida, and property values dropped, we faced another rare opportunity. This time, we debated if we should purchase a neglected, undervalued condo to fix up as an investment property. It would devour our savings but offer a potential rental-income source for the future. We agonized over the pros and cons, weighing possibilities and outcomes. Steve once more turned to his uncle for his thoughts, expecting to hear familiar words. Instead, Uncle Joe surprised us.
Over the speakerphone, Steve voiced our concerns: “We understand it’s a great opportunity for a retirement nest egg when property values rise, but a condo is always additional work that can gobble up free time and money, especially if renters damage the property. Still, the price makes this a great opportunity, one that seems too good to pass up.”
Joe listened and then politely dispensed his advice. “Well,” he said. “Opportunities come along all the time. So, ask yourself this: Will you regret passing on this one? Possibly. But there is also something to be said for the peace of mind in getting a good night’s sleep.”
His lack of enthusiasm floored us, so we took a moment to consider Joe’s counsel and realized he made sense. We passed on the opportunity and chose instead to reduce existing debt by refinancing at a lower rate. Eventually, the savings allowed us to purchase another snippet of paradise property to savor for retirement. A short time later, we learned that the condominium board had made some special assessments that owners had to pay. We had narrowly dodged a money pit. Grateful for an uncle’s wisdom once more, we realized a good night’s sleep was also a worthy pursuit.
While Uncle Joe’s gems of wisdom on matters of risk may appear contradictory, they are in fact bookends of the same thought. When you have nothing to lose, a risk to chase your dreams makes it a worthy goal. But if your pursuit could cost you everything should it go astray, it is likely best to pass it up and rest easy, knowing you have lost nothing. And, above all else, take all you can get out of life… and more.
— Cate Bronson —
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