Enough

I either heard or read the following story about Jack Bogle, who founded Vanguard, the large mutual fund company that also handles other financial products.

A news reporter stated, “Vanguard is a not-for-profit company. If you had organized it differently, you’d be a billionaire today. Any regrets?”

Jack Bogle’s answer is profound and I am reminded of his wisdom continually. Bogle said, “I read this story recently: There’s a big cocktail party on Martha’s Vineyard. Someone comes up to this writer, I think it was Joseph Heller, author of ‘Catch-22’, and says, ‘Joe, see that guy over there? He’s a hedge fund manager and he made more money yesterday than you made on all the books you have ever published.’ Heller pauses and says, ‘Yeah, but I have something he’ll never have. I have enough.’”

We all know people who will never have ‘enough’, no matter how much money they have or how many ‘things’ they own. There are others who think they have a right to more than they have. If you can accept the fact that you have ‘enough’ that is a positive step in starving an insatiable appetite for more or for dealing with financial loss.

Never Judge a Book by its Cover

I’ve learned not to judge people by first impressions. This lesson has been reinforced many times in my life. I’ll mention only three instances that I use as reminders.

I was in the doctor’s waiting room with several patients waiting to be blessed by the appearance of a lady in white to announce my audience with the doctor. An elderly black man sat across from me. By his clothes he appeared to be indigent as he sat quietly starring at the floor. Floors get stared at a lot in waiting rooms.

Sunset in America?

“When small men cast large shadows, the sun is about to set.”

This is a quote from a Chinese writer that applies to our country today. There are many large shadows darkening the landscape of the U. S. today and our citizens, as well as international leaders around the globe, sense that the sun is setting on a once great nation.

Our founders were giants like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Ben Franklin and other men of stature, intelligence and integrity. Compare these men to our current magnificent administration - Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Janet Napolitano, Eric Holder, et al. What a contrast!

After looking at our leadership, consider the shadows that are rapidly creeping into every crevice of our lives, replacing our freedom with control by an inept government.

How did we get to this point? Is the voting public this ignorant? Is the course we are on as a nation due to incompetence or is there an international agenda? If those in power are not as stupid and unqualified as they seem to be, what else could account for our slide?

You can’t have a one-world government as long as there is one superpower still standing. Could that be the purpose of bringing down the U. S.? To level the playing field, as our “leader” implies. Is our “leader” the puppet master or the puppet? Is there a “Wizard of Oz” behind the curtain?

Are those currently in positions of power really the best our country has to offer? Really?? Small men are indeed casting large shadows.

Is the sun setting on America?