One Year
Today is special. One year ago today Howard came home from Novell never to return. He has been a full-time cartoonist for a year now. One year ago we had a business that was on the edge of breaking even, after years of costing us money. We had enough in savings to pay for about 3 months of living expenses. Logic would not have told us that it was the right time for Howard to quit. But it was. Now, a year later, Howard’s cartooning can be relied on to pay a third to a half of each month’s expenses and because of some timely windfalls we now have enough in savings to carry us for another six months. Our position today is much better than it was a year ago, but we’re still not out of the woods.
I confess there are days when I walk through a grocery store and look longingly at treat foods like avocados and chicken nuggets and chocolate cheescake. There are games I’d like to own. There are household projects which are on indefinite hold. If I wanted to I could create a huge list of things I’d love to have enough money to do. But I’ve BEEN there. A year ago I had money enough for all of those things. We are so much happier now. It is good for us to have to prioritize and decide what is really important to us. Yes I’d like more money, but I want to have more money because the cartooning is bringing it to us, not because we had to give the cartooning up.
I continue to feel fortunate and blessed to be where I am. This past year has been a gift, I’m just greedy enough to want second one even better than the first.