"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something."

I know that life isn't fair.  I don't expect it to be. I expect life to be as it will. That said, I feel bad for my parents. With all they've been through, its still not over...

 

My dad had money: his family worked hard, made a name for themselves, and grew not one but two businesses. He worked hard at the family business and he lived comfortably. My mom grew up with little, eventually my grandparents did well and my mom worked hard and they all lived comfortably. When they got married, all was well -- till they had kids and wanted to get away from the war. Go figure, they didn't like the constant threat of bombings.  

 

They came here and lost it all... Never mind rags to riches, its more like riches to rags.

 

I never had money or maids so I didn't lose anything. I don't feel gypped. But my mom works like a horse day in and day out and for what? For nothing, for a $500/month SS check... It breaks my heart.

 

I know life's not fair, that's normal... but to work 25 yrs in this country and get $500... How is that right? And because my mom "makes too much" my father can't get "supplemental SS?" I worry about them.  How are they supposed to live?

 

When I look at all that my parents have given up, I am sad for them, I am humbled and I am grateful too.  My parents never once stopped doing things for me and I know they never will.  I also know I have friends that can't say the same thing and that breaks my heart too. All I can do is see what my parents have done for me and my brother and love my kids the same way, brush myself up and maybe plan harder for the future.

 

Working at a bank and seeing the older generation and what they have to live on was rough.  Some saved well and live a comfortable exisitance while others live check to check... in retirement.  Maybe some of it is because of gambling or poor planning, but I know my mother lost a LOT of her 401K last fall in the nearly depressive stock... "crash" or "fall" or whatever you want to call it.

 

AAH!!! No more talk of this... in other news: I will be meeting Christpher McDougall on Thursday, author if Born to Run - I cannot wait!