When I was in elementary school, I sat at a school assembly and listened to an East Lansing fourth and fifth grade strings performance. I came home and told my mom that I wanted to play the cello when I was a fourth grader. Why the cello? I liked how it looked, and I could sit down! I learned to love the instrument, and played all the way through school, and even played in the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra as a non-music major.
For about 20 years, this part of me was mostly dormant other than making occasional appearances as “show and tell” for my kid’s classes. For years, I said “I really want to start playing again.” In 2019, two of my kids had also started playing the cello, which inspired my decision to “shake off the rust” and join the Mason Symphony, a local community orchestra.
For the last 5 years, playing the cello has become a source of new memories and friendships for me- whether playing in the symphony or occasionally at church. Since I restarted the cello, our two youngest kids started playing instruments, and now three of the four are cellists and the other plays the clarinet. Picking back up my cello has also allowed us to make some fun musical memories together! You can catch glimpses of these moments on our company Facebook page in some short videos of me performing with my kids over the years.
We often hear people say, “I used to (fill in the blank), and someday I’d like to do it again.” What’s that for you? Maybe it’s playing an instrument, woodworking, painting, fishing, dancing, or something else. Without a plan to do it, you may be saying the same thing in 10 years. The same principle holds true for your finances. Many of our new financial planning clients say “I wish I would’ve done this earlier” – but they’re glad to have started the process.
So, think about those things you used to enjoy, and maybe it’s time to start again. Whether it’s music, money, or anything else, taking the first step is worth it!
