Keeping Money in Perspective

"When I was ill, I faced the very real possibility of dying, and suddenly the little money I'd saved, however prudent I was, didn't matter.  It was all worthless.  It became immediately clear that the only true purpose of money was to help make love work."  Mark Nepo

People tend to have poor relationships with money.  Yesterday in talking with a friend about longterm care insurance, she said she did not want to buy it in case she never used it; and I thought -- what does that have to do with it?!  I buy car insurance and liability insurance every year -- hoping I never have to use either of them.  The same is true for longterm care insurance.  At a premium of about $2000 a year, how can one compare that to paying $8000 a month for nursing home costs?!  When people ask me how I can manage to pay for my loved one's care (the longterm care insurance pays about half), my response is that I am so grateful that I can.  My loved one and I have been good stewards of the money life has given us.  Now it can pay for his care.  The above quote also reminds me to not put off doing something kind for myself or others because I think I have to save the money.  Instead, I will send the flowers today, I will give the gift now, I will buy myself the food I enjoy eating.