Compounded Benefits

A stitch in time saves nine. Blame it on my training as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), but the word that strikes me from the stitch in time adage is SAVES. It’s possible I’m also affected by my most frequent familial admonitions:

 - A penny saved is a penny earned, and
 - Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

These sayings all have some component of investment and reward, just as savings compound benefits over time. Spend time now, have more later. Save money now, have more later. I think my parents were urging me to choose wisely, to recognize that my actions have consequences and those consequences could be far greater than I’d imagine.

I think they also wanted to teach me to appreciate the value of work and sacrifice. “You never value something unless you work for it” is another adage I heard and lived. It was abundantly clear to me the work preceded the enjoyment. Short term pain for long term gain.

My thoughts on this challenge haven’t gelled yet. My mind wanders through the demands of parenting, the psychological benefits of delayed gratification and the intrinsic value of work. Kahlil Gibran said, “Work is love made visible.” That makes sense to me and is, perhaps, the statement that best encompasses the circle of parental love, childhood sacrifice and adult development that these adages represent.

I can’t wait to see what interpretations are revealed at the gallery postings on August 27, 2014.