Reality, Mine

Here’s a scenario millions are living with in America each day. Ponder it. Embrace it as your own. Either this is what awaits you or not depending on your luck and successful planning.

We awake at 5 am daily. Start with a potty break, move on to the den and turn on the lights. Then the living room lights and opening of the drapes. Into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Pull out cups, saucers and spoons. Set those up in the den next to the computers.

Read email first, then respond to emails, then open my blog site and eye the results of the previous 24 hours, and finally post my blog for the day. Usually the blog is written a few days earlier and is entered to the blog site, edited again, and then published.

Then a quick scan of the internet news feeds of the day. When finished I move on to some favorite blog sites to view, and then I turn my attention to today’s calendar.

I scan the commitments of the day, mostly SCORE clients, committees and projects. Then on to church committee assignments and related topics.

When the office is tidied up for the day, shaving, shower and dressing is next in line. Then breakfast followed by project work or a sit in the chair with the latest book read.

The mail comes and bills with it. Scan the checking account balance and determine if enough funds are available to pay the bills; if not, wait for the next social security check.

We live solely on social security income. The reasons are many but center around health issues and a slightly earlier than planned retirement. Investments were used to retire debts so we could downsize living arrangements to fit with income. It is a tight fit but it works. Barely.

Rent is paid on time. it consumes a huge portion of our monthly income. The car loan is our next major obligation but it keeps us mobile and reliably so. Next is the food budget closely tied with medical expenses – Medicare premium ($212/mo for the two of us), private insurance premium required ($187/mo for the two of us), medications out of pocket ($100/mo for me; $115 for Rocky), electronics ($200/mo for internet, cable TV and cell phones). If any one component shifts higher, something is removed. We are about ready to cut cable completely to save $100/mo. We already toy with food and meds as needed. Eating out is a luxury rarely done unless someone gives us a gift card or we find a cheap place that allows us to eat near the cost of eating at home.

If an insurance premium grows large less gas is bought, fewer miles driven, less volunteering accomplished, etc. If the food budget is tight then a meal is skipped and light snacks tide us over for a few hours.

If something breaks it is thrown out. Clothing budget supports new underwear and socks once or twice a year. A new shirt or two is bought at the resale shop once per year. Shoes are polished and kept, not replaced.

Travel is no more. Only TV allows us a return to memories once lived on the road or in hotels.

Yet we find this lifestyle sufficient for our needs. The brain requires more sustenance and is fed regularly by reading, interacting with a broadening group of people, and volunteer work that empowers others to make the most of their lives and talents. That is the fuel that keeps us going. Writing blogs, counseling teen drug addicts and coaching new small businesses into being or mentoring struggling small businesses toward success and self sustaining futures. Those are valuable gifts to share. And the rewards are many.

No one has to understand me or our situation. I just want you to accept me as I am. And I want you to do no harm to me and mine, too. Do not upset the delicate financial balance in which I find myself. There is no escape from it at my age. This is the way life is and it is OK. Just don’t rattle this little world of mine.

I’ll try to do the same for you.

November 21, 2016