July 2010 Stewpot by Gordon Botting, DrPH, CHES
Timing is Everything
A few years ago, a To his surprise there Because they had spent friend of mind retired after were only four people at the last twenty years faithhis retirement plan was the auction; the banker, fully saving their money fully vested. He and his the auctioneer, one other for their retirement home, wife had carefully planned customer and himself. The when the door of opportheir retirement so they banker asked my friend tunity opened, they were could purchase a comfortif he was interested. He able to purchase a better able home in their chosen replied that if the price fell home than they could ever retirement location. Upon within his price range he have imagined. arriving, they rented a would consider buying. My friend’s experience home and began to look When the banker heard my demonstrates not only how for the retirement home of friend’s offer he replied, important it is to save, but their dreams. They had the “That amount would barehow timing can be more option of purchasing land ly cover the cost of materisignificant. The wise man and having a builder conals for one these homes, from the Old Testament, struct their dream home. let alone the construction King Solomon, said it This plan would require expenditure.” well in them to do Usually, the best time to: Ecclesiastes a lot of the 3:1, “To work them- ⇒ go banking midweek, approximately thirty minutes everything selves, such after the doors open. there is a as landscap⇒ purchase shoes in the afternoon because your feet season, a ing and have swelled a little and your shoe will fit better. time for painting. Or every purthey could ⇒ go to the supermarket to buy groceries is between pose under purchase mid-morning and mid-afternoon on Tuesday and the heaven.” an older Wednesday. Best because the shelves are full, the Many times home and crowds are minimal, and the departmental managers are we fail to modernize available to answer questions. seize the the areas of right oppor⇒ acquire major home appliances is in the spring and the home tunity or take after Thanksgiving as this is when manufacturers that needed advantage of generally clear out their inventories. improvean important ment. ⇒ fill a pharmacy prescription mid-month, as drugstores moment in are the busiest at the beginning or the end of the month One day time. Not when seniors receive their Social Security checks.2 they noticed because we in the local do not have paper that a residential As my friend turned to a great plan or lack deterbuilder had gone bankrupt leave, the banker called mination, but because we and the local bank was him back and said, “If you move too early or too late. offering a cul-de-sac of can return with a cashier’s The model of the four homes for sale. More out check for that amount of seasons yearly rotation of curiosity than the possi- money, we will accept may assist us in becoming bility of actually purchasyour bid and you may effective in our timing, ing one of these homes, have first choice of any of whether it is for an indihe decided to attend the these cul-de-sac homes.” continued on page 8 auction.
The wise man from the Old Testament, King Solomon, said it well in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the heaven.”
Ultimately, for each of us, the key to making correct decisions, developing purposeful goals and seeing a project through to a successful conclusion, is to understand, discern and utilize each of the four seasons.
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