As I age, it becomes more apparent to me that I can only control what I choose to do, not what those around me have in mind.
I have a neighbor, Buck, who has led a pretty charmed life. Unlike my track record, Buck seems to know when to buy into business deals and when to cash out. Buck’s pretty wealthy and a great family man. I’ve watched him raise his three sons and provide them with all of the opportunities any kid could dream up.
So, Buck buys three properties adjacent to his sprawling ranch and puts in the roads and landscaping that will make these homesites very special places to raise a family. I go to his big party to celebrate the gifting to his three boys. We take a hayride in a covered wagon, with corked bottles of expensive champagne, to show off the three fabulous sites.
Three months later, a depressed Buck is on my front porch. Two of his sons told Buck they are starting their own real estate company 500 miles away. The youngest son, Thad, is off to Chicago to break into the stand-up comedy scene in Second City, an improvisational comedy troupe.
I tell Buck he should be proud of the great job he did raising three confident, talented boys.
Buck asks me if I have an interest in buying a few properties.