Giving Back - Reflecting on the past year
In wealth management we deal with money. We help people to save it, grow it, manage it. People work very hard to earn and save money. On the flip side, I also find many people quite willing to donate and share their money where needed.
Despite the fact it can be challenging to meet financial goals, it seems most people I meet do not lose sight of the importance of giving back. I have met amazing people who donate their time and money to their community, school, church, charity, medical or social cause.
Reflecting on giving back comes to the forefront once again this time of year. We all know there are people in need everywhere, and so many organizations bringing support to their many worthy causes. And although not everyone will answer this call, the good news is, there are still many, many people who do. They quietly work their magic to make a difference in many ways the majority will never see. I find most people, at their core, to be very generous.
One only need to work on a committee to see from an inside view what so many people do to make amazing things happen. There are so many people dedicating their time, reviewing late night emails, organizing and planning for their cause after their full day at work and evening of family activities. A donation of time is so valuable when we never seem to have enough of it. There are so many people donating their money to various causes, supporting different initiatives, fundraisers, etc.
As humans we really know how to pull together when it counts. We share a commonality to pitch in and help out when needed. I have met so many people volunteering for what they are passionate about. The same goes for business as individuals. We see many business owners making countless donations and sponsorships to their community and causes without a second thought.
There are so many ways to make a difference and give back. No contribution is too small. Give money. Give time. Give expertise. Give blood. Become an organ donor. Donate used toys and clothes. Share your gifts with the world. In so many ways we can make a difference in the lives of others in ways that matter. It’s a part of our culture to give back and we need to keep working together to continue to make us stronger.
At any given point in time many people are struggling with different challenges in their life and sometimes that little bit of help goes such a long way. It might be you today or me tomorrow, or maybe neither of us for a while. It might be your brother, your friend, or your friend’s friend. Or it might be one of those anonymous individuals whom you will never meet.
Giving back is so important. What have you done to make a contribution to your community or a cause over the past year? Reflection is good for us. Let’s continue to work together, and help in whatever small ways we can to make the world a better place for all of us.
Link to column as it appeared in Elgin This Month December 2014 edition (page 28)
Stephanie Farrow, B.A., CFP., Stephanie has over 20 years experience in the financial services industry, a diploma in Financial Planning from the Canadian Institute of Financial Planning, and Certified Financial Planner designation. Stephanie has been writing a financial planning column for the local business magazine Elgin This Month since 2010 and hosts our Farrow Financial Blog and Twitter @farrowfinancial. Stephanie and her husband Ken Farrow own Farrow Financial Services Inc., are busy raising three young children and actively involved in the community. Our Farrow Financial Services Team.