As the Holidays approach, it seems like there are never enough funds available to get everything done.
Presents to buy, family meals to prepare, and charitable organizations that all need help to provide for the less fortunate all seem to pull at our wallets.
Now all of these are positive things and we don’t usually mind doing them so long as we are able. This year, however, is a bit different for my family. All the extra money that was being saved up for the season has had to go into the replacement of our HVAC system. It was an older system and we knew eventually the day would come we just kept hoping that it would later. Dad would ask the technician each year to make only the repairs that were really needed. When the repairman told him that he really needed to consider doing more, dad would just say, “maybe next year”. Well, now we have no choice. The system finally failed for the last time. Dad and mom sat us down and told us that there would be no Christmas presents this year, but, our home would be warm and safe. We would not have the same feast we always did, but, we could sleep well at night. As we sat and listened to them, I thought to myself, is there really anything else we “need”. The money was well spent and out home will be comfortable for years to come. The energy bills will be less with the new efficient system too. Many people don’t even have this assurance so I told my parents that I was happy with the gift of an HVAC system more than any toy I could have gotten.