Comments on: Five Lessons My Friend’s Passing Taught Me About Money, Life, And Everything Else

By: Greg Helms

Greg Helms — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 13:57:52 +0000

I am sorry for your loss. However, in passing, your friend provided you with a great gift.

Excellent post; one of the best ever on your site.

Thanks.

By: Frank Kelly

Frank Kelly — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 01:19:02 +0000

On regrets . . . . there’s a song from Garth Brooks – it’s a little sappy but the point is true nonetheless “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers”.

The only thing worse than death is not having truly “lived” and what is life but moments with people you love.

-F

By: ~an*

~an* — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 08:26:15 +0000

Well written reflection. I’m sorry for your loss. It’s events like this that triggers a wave of reflection and learning for the better.

Sometimes I wonder how come everyone is so caught up with work they deprive themselves so much of the things they truly love.

By: tehnyit

tehnyit — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:51:01 +0000

Losing someone close to you is never easy to deal with. In our busy lives, sometimes, it needs a major event like a death to snap us back to understand some of the real aspects of life.

I totally agree about not to regret about the choices we made. It is not something we can change, live for the present and for our futures.

By: Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:01:50 +0000

Wow! What a reality check. I needed to hear tht today. Thank you so much for sharing. Life is so short.

Matt Sullivan, CEO
Credit Dusters, Inc
matt@creditdusters.com

By: Miss Paula

Miss Paula — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:53:55 +0000

Thank you for a concise and well-written article. During times of great change–marriage, birth of a child, death of family member or friend–our hearts are tender towards those things in life that REALLY matter. I appreciate the fact that your heart has been made tender and, through the writing of your article, your readers’ hearts have been touched, also.

By: Amit

Amit — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 10:12:10 +0000

Hello,
This is my first visit to your website and i am deeply touched by this article.

You friend seemed to be a really nice person.

My deep condolences to you.

- Amit

By: mark

mark — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:47:30 +0000

Beautiful post. Your friends seemed like a great guy… You know, sometimes I find myself judging you or JD over at Get Rich Slowly by seeing the world exclusively through the money lenses and I know I get trapped into that hole too… but when you posts something like this it puts things into the right perspective. Thank you!

By: Rob in Madrid

Rob in Madrid — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 05:53:58 +0000

Wow what an epitaph to have. Beautifully written.

By: Daisy

Daisy — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:19:24 +0000

Condolences to you. I guess all I can say is there’s always hope you’ll see him again.

He sounded like a really cool and contented guy. I bet you have a lot of wonderful memories of him.

By: Ana

Ana — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 01:55:02 +0000

Your post brought back a lot of good memories for me as the situation you described with your friend was exactly how I grew up–almost everyone was a farmer or rancher, they all wore the standard t-shirt/flannel shirt and blue jeans, they worked hard, lived frugally (actually it wasn’t frugal back then, it was just common sense), most all had a pretty good-sized bankroll but one would never know it by the clothes they wore or the cars they drove, and most importantly they made the world a better place just by being here.

My condolences on your loss but at the same time congratulations on realizing the great value of the impact that a life lived well can have on others. I’m sure your friend was proud to know you.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:23:01 +0000

My condolences.

Don’t forget to live in the moment with everyone you love. Including your wife. Mine died a couple of months ago, and I suddenly am so grateful for all the intense living and loving we packed into the 1990′s before she became ill. At the time, the pace seemed a little much and I was tempted to focus more on work. I’m so glad I didn’t!

By: Jason Rehmus

Jason Rehmus — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:12:07 +0000

I’m very sorry for your loss.

By: Michiko

Michiko — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:33:50 +0000

First off, my condolences to you for the loss of your friend.

I agree with your first comment about how it’s all in the eyes of the beholder. One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned about finances is that being financially free of debt is not a status only available to a few select people. Rather, through frugality I too can be debt free in a realistic amount of time.

Also what you said about considering what you need also rings true. Am I truly deprived because I can’t afford designer name brands? What would I value more, having designer name brands and worrying myself sick over paying bills or making careful well thought out purchases and sleeping soundly at night.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:36:19 +0000

Sounds like he had a very full life exactly like he wanted it. He lives on in your post, the ideals he helped instill in you, and the people you are spreading his ideals to.
I too decided this year, that I would have no regrets. I went back over all the disasters in life and found the really good things that came out of them. In every single case I realized the pain or hardship was worth the opportunity or life lesson. At the same time I realized that only I control my path in life.

I just wanted to thank you for writing a very useful and sometimes touching blog.

By: Mulan

Mulan — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:08:51 +0000

How sweet! He sounded like a great guy!

By: Mariette

Mariette — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:43:39 +0000

Good wisdom for us all to try to follow.

By: Susy

Susy — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:41:05 +0000

Deepest sympathies on the loss of your friend.

By: MS

MS — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:36:53 +0000

“Almost five hundred people turned up at this man’s visitation, and nearly three hundred were at his graveside funeral”

He sounds like a rich man, regardless of his bank account.