I recall this morning a man I met who wanted to sell me his business. It had $200,000 in sales, and $30,000 in profits. Yet, he was asking $1 million for it.He was a one-man band, of no interest to me, really. But it was the rationale for his price that hit me this morning. I share it with you.
He said,
I worked for General Motors for over thirty years. The hours were long and grueling, especially when sales were booming. It was common practice to work 60-70 hours a week, including Sundays. Sometimes we'd get every other Sunday off. Sundays may have been the days my children were conceived.
The money was terrific. Straight time, overtime after eight hours. Double time on Saturdays, triple for Sundays. But I never saw my family.
I knew my family was well taken care of -- but I did not know my family. Not really. It never occurred to me until the day of my daughter's wedding.
Here, walking down the aisle, a flower girl spreading flowers before her, was this young, radiant woman, a smile filling her face and a glow lighting her visage -- and I didn't recognize her. Twenty - three years, and I didn't have a clue who I was watching.
I didn't know my son, either, or my wife, and they didn't know me. For all intents and purposes, I was a paycheck, the source of revenue that gave them a good life. I was divorced shortly afterwards.
So, I need to sell my company for $1 million so I can use the time I have left to spend with my grandchildren and have a legacy to leave them.
My daughter and son-in-law both work long hours. They make great money. The kids spend most of their time with their grandmother. My son doesn't work. He can't seem to keep a job. He got caught up with drugs, with my money in lieu of a father. He's not much of a role model for his kids, either, my grand children.
Today, millions of Americans work long hours, many seven days a week.. But they do it for far less money than he received. They're working two, perhaps three jobs at minimum wage or just over. Their children, like his, are directionless. too.
Many are single-head-of-household, latch key children, without guidance and with only their peers to learn from. They don't eat as well as his children, for lack of money for food. When they perform poorly in school, for lack of a full stomach or proper parental direction, their teachers bear the brunt.
Where are the 8:00 to 5:00 parents, the ones who come home each night to eat dinner together with their families and share the highlights of the day? Where are the parents who have time to listen to their children? Where are the fathers who camp out with their sons at Boy Scout camp on weekends, or who swim at the beach on long, sunny weekends?
Where are the men and women who know their spouses because they had time together and the quality of life we are now recognizing o longer exists, if it ever did.
As you read this and ponder the questions, what will you do differently so that, when your daughter gets married, when your children leave the nest, you will have rich memories of your lives together and the joys of really knowing each other?
He said,
I worked for General Motors for over thirty years. The hours were long and grueling, especially when sales were booming. It was common practice to work 60-70 hours a week, including Sundays. Sometimes we'd get every other Sunday off. Sundays may have been the days my children were conceived.
The money was terrific. Straight time, overtime after eight hours. Double time on Saturdays, triple for Sundays. But I never saw my family.
I knew my family was well taken care of -- but I did not know my family. Not really. It never occurred to me until the day of my daughter's wedding.
Here, walking down the aisle, a flower girl spreading flowers before her, was this young, radiant woman, a smile filling her face and a glow lighting her visage -- and I didn't recognize her. Twenty - three years, and I didn't have a clue who I was watching.
I didn't know my son, either, or my wife, and they didn't know me. For all intents and purposes, I was a paycheck, the source of revenue that gave them a good life. I was divorced shortly afterwards.
So, I need to sell my company for $1 million so I can use the time I have left to spend with my grandchildren and have a legacy to leave them.
My daughter and son-in-law both work long hours. They make great money. The kids spend most of their time with their grandmother. My son doesn't work. He can't seem to keep a job. He got caught up with drugs, with my money in lieu of a father. He's not much of a role model for his kids, either, my grand children.
Today, millions of Americans work long hours, many seven days a week.. But they do it for far less money than he received. They're working two, perhaps three jobs at minimum wage or just over. Their children, like his, are directionless. too.
Many are single-head-of-household, latch key children, without guidance and with only their peers to learn from. They don't eat as well as his children, for lack of money for food. When they perform poorly in school, for lack of a full stomach or proper parental direction, their teachers bear the brunt.
Where are the 8:00 to 5:00 parents, the ones who come home each night to eat dinner together with their families and share the highlights of the day? Where are the parents who have time to listen to their children? Where are the fathers who camp out with their sons at Boy Scout camp on weekends, or who swim at the beach on long, sunny weekends?
Where are the men and women who know their spouses because they had time together and the quality of life we are now recognizing o longer exists, if it ever did.
As you read this and ponder the questions, what will you do differently so that, when your daughter gets married, when your children leave the nest, you will have rich memories of your lives together and the joys of really knowing each other?
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