We had to put our 11-year old German Shepherd, Abby, down on Wednesday afternoon.
A combination of lymphoma and joint problems (probably arthritis) meant she could no longer get around. The kindest thing we could do was let her go.
It wasn't the easiest. But it was the kindest. And best.
We're obviously gutted. She was the best dog.
Sometimes, I take investing lessons from, or share investing parallels with, my experiences.
Not today. Though there is an investing link of sorts.
We all invest for different reasons.
Some invest to retire early. Some to have a more comfortable retirement when they eventually get there.
Some people want to look after the kids. Others to support charities.
Some invest to give them choice: flexibility, based on what life throws at them.
A few, though, do it to see the portfolio number go up – an external scorecard providing some validation or a measure of success.
Now, I don't mean to be too critical of that group, but there's a parallel with those people who work hard, and long hours, ostensibly to 'provide' for themselves and their families, and miss the opportunity to actually have a life on the way though.
Again, I'm not throwing shade here.
But I do want to make the point that we should work to live, rather than live to work.
We should invest to give us choices in life, not just to have the biggest 'number'.
Because, as they say, no-one on their deathbed wishes they'd spent more time at the office.
And I would suggest that no-one, on their deathbed, is glad they have a larger portfolio, but fewer friends and fewer experiences.
In other words, I hope you're not putting the cart before the horse.
I hope your pursuit of professional- or investing success isn't getting in the way of you getting the most out of your life.
Yes, these are the reflections of someone who has just lost a loved one.
But I suspect it's in these moments that what really matters comes into stark focus.
I was lucky.
In life, Abby was a very good girl. She died on her favourite bed, with her family around her. We gave her lots of treats, and pats, and hugs in her final hours.
Of course, I'm going to continue to give my all, at work. I'm going to continue to invest as well as I can, too.
But I'm going to do both of those things as part of my intention to live my life consciously, and fully.
To remember the things that matter most, and to put them first.
I won't always get it right, but, as they say 'the race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself'.
Do me a favour: hug your loved ones (including the furry ones), call your friends, and ask yourself what really matters in life. Then don't let busyness or distraction push you off course.
Oh, and one more, given the circumstances: Be the person your dog thinks you are. If we all did that, the world would be a much better place.
Fool on!
