Looking Good, Feeling Great

Not too long ago, my client Rita had made the decision to stop her cancer treatment. She had fought hard but finally decided that enough was enough. She was in her late 80’s, retired down south, and was traveling up to Massachusetts one last time to say goodbye to her friends. I was grateful to be on her list.

She arrived at my office directly from the airport. I wasn’t sure if she’d be able to walk upstairs, so I asked my team to keep her safely on the first floor. I was preparing for what I knew would be our last meeting together. Rita had gone through more than a year of chemo and it understandably took its toll on her.

However, when I walked into the conference room I was not prepared for what I saw.

There she was, a smaller version of her old self and looking terrific! She was wearing a colorful floral shirt, a new white pair of pants, and trendy sandals. Her hair was perfect— it was almost impossible to know she was wearing a wig. Her lipstick sparkled pink and bright, and when she smiled I couldn’t take my eyes off her beautiful new teeth.

“Rita! You look amazing!” I went on to compliment her outfit and how fantastic she appeared. She was beaming with pride. We sat next to one another at the table, and I asked her candidly how she was doing.

“I feel much better ever since I stopped treatment. I know I’m not well, but I’m making the most of the time I have left.” Then she went on to tell me that she had made it a priority to look her best for as long as possible because she wanted people to remember her that way. One of her grandsons showed her how to order new clothes online. She had purchased several outfits and coordinating shoes. Her daughter made sure her hair looked great. And as for her teeth? She considered buying new dentures to go with her new lease on life, so she went to her dentist and found out that they’d cost $8,000.

She had a heart-to-heart with herself about this large expense. She and her husband (who passed a few years earlier) had worked very hard for their money. And it was always a priority in our planning together that she leave behind a legacy for her grown children. Rita weighed her desire for purchasing new teeth with the realization that each of her four children would end up inheriting $2,000 less when she eventually passed. It didn’t take her long to decide it was totally worth it!

We sat together and reviewed her plan one last time. I told her how much I loved her and that I was really proud of her for prioritizing herself. She was beaming with confidence and happiness. You could see it in her beautiful smile and in the way she carried herself that she felt like a million bucks.

And then she did what she had always done at the end of our meetings: she pulled the bowl of Hershey kisses across the table toward herself, and dumped the contents of the whole bowl into her purse. We laughed and hugged goodbye. That was the last time we spoke. She passed away a few short months later with her family by her side.

I share this story with you because to me Rita is a role model. She and her husband worked hard, saved money, planned for the future, and made smart decisions throughout retirement. They loved each other, adored their children and grandchildren, traveled the globe, and did just about everything they ever desired to do. When her husband died, Rita kept going and traveling for as long as she was able. And despite a lifetime of adventures, she was still able to leave behind a legacy for her family.

What are you doing these days to take care of yourself, to make the most of the life you have, and to go to bed each night feeling like a million bucks (despite your challenging circumstances)? For some people, life is short. For others, life is long. Either way, we all have the time we are allotted— please do something terrific for yourself and for the people you love with the time you have.

May you continue to look for ways to take care of yourself as well as the people who mean the most to you. And if you’re waffling about buying that new truck, or booking a big vacation for 2022, or maybe surprising your kids with a big gift for the holidays this year, give us a call. We’d love to help you make these things happen.