This gave me a chuckle. I used to accumulate books, and still buy them occasionally. But I took a good look at my shelves one day and realized that my books were showing their age. Yellowed pages, oh my! Some with mildew spots around the edges! Oh, no! And it occurred to me that books unread have little value. So I culled my stash. It felt good to free up some space, to donate so that others might read. I also loan the "keepers" freely. (Ahem, like Philip Gulley's good works.) That feels good, too.
Excellent! I worked for an investment advisor who was very ethical and wanted to help others prepare for their futures. He never put his clients’ money in investments that gave home the biggest commission but what was best for that client. He also benefited from this approach and was very generous with his time and money. I was so grateful to have learned from him! Although I didn’t stay in that profession, it made a big impact on my personal life and in the next profession I pursued.
Terrific message, Phil. It spoke to me not only for what you said but also for an experience I had yesterday. During services yesterday, the minister (who is probably about 65 - 70) said he was going to preach a dialogue or dialogical sermon. I was instantly taken back to the 1970s, a decade that stands out mostly because I met and married the woman who still shares my life. The rest of decade was overshadowed with college, low pay, struggling to start a life with my wife while both of us were earning peanuts and things like that. The idea of a dialogical sermon, though, dredged up memories of singing Kum Ba Yah in church, being encouraged to stand in circles, liturgical dance, etc., etc.
The minister asked us to raise our hands and say who we would like to go back in history to meet and to sit and talk with them over coffee and doughnuts. He also said you could name someone who is alive today. Silence descended so abruptly, I could hear the a/c compressors outside and even the ticking of one of the ceiling fans. Most of the congregation, especially my silver-haired compatriots sat on their hands, figuratively or literally. In desperation, the minister asked the children and teens to chime in. Then came suggestions of Superman, a few sports figures, and Taylor Swift.
I wanted to say that I would like to go back in history to meet my great-great grandfather, Andrew, but I was leery of saying that because this particular minister is an historian and would probably have asked me to explain why -- an explanation that would have strained my objections to speaking in public. Your message yesterday, Phil, gives me the perfect opportunity to explain why I would like to go back in history to meet great-great grandfather Andrew.
Born into Quakerism in 1823, Andrew grew up on a farm with a father who was a rarity for New England. Andrew's father was a recorded Quaker minister in NYEM at a time when there were only a very few such people. Andrew left Quakerism in his early 30s, marrying Juliette, the daughter of another prominent Quaker in that area. The marriage took place in a Congregational church. Andrew made a fortune in his life. He and Juliette gave freely of their money while each was still alive and Andrew wrote a will giving trusts to his children and to Juliette. He left instructions for the future of his company. Andrew stipulated in his will that everything other than the trusts, the home he and Juliette had shared and the business that was dealt with separately, was to be given away. Andrew's son administered the estate for more than 20 years so as not to flood the charities, institutions, schools and hospitals of Rhode Island with too much money at once. Juliette's will did much the same with the trust that had been left to her. Their children and grandchildren were left to deal with whatever money was left in the trusts and to make it in this world on their own.
So, first I would want to ask Andrew (and Juliette since they seemed to act as a team throughout their married lives) why they chose to leave the Quakers and move over to the Baptists. Why after nearly 200 years of Quaker history in the family, why after being descended from Quakers who were persecuted by the Massachusetts Bay Colony authorities with whipping, jailing, and transportation to other colonies, did you reject your heritage? Secondly I would want to ask what motivated you to give away so much of your wealth when you were alive and even more of your wealth after you died. I think it was a great thing to do -- share the wealth with those who need it most, but what was the motivation to do so? Juliette's eulogy notes that she and Andrew often contributed anything needed -- clothes, housing, food, furniture, money for education -- by sending those things to individual homes with a note that just said "From a friend" with no other identifying information. Was the use of the term "friend" with a lowercase "f" just a generic use of of the word or was there some unstated reference to the heritage Andrew and Juliette shared?
My family lost any remaining wealth in the Depression in the same waysothers were hurt by that time. My parents, as well as my wife and I, have had to make it on our own, which is fine. I am not upset that Andrew and Juliette gave all their money away. It was theirs to do with as they saw fit and I'm happy they gave it to charities and hospitals and schools rather than waste it on whatever was the equivalent then of televangelists today or a golden-haired man who sells anything with his image or name.
I'm glad Andrew and Juliette gave so freely to others, but couldn't you have left one letter or one diary entry explaining your motivation to do so? Was it based in your Quaker heritage or in the Baptist faith you dove into with such conviction? Oh well, at least you did the right thing. If I ever win a lottery (it would help, of course, if I bought tickets), I would keep just enough to live on and give all the rest away. Why do I need to be rich? Why do I need more wealth than I need for basic life necessities? Why wouldn't I want to share with those in need?
Another message which is on point! I am in total agreement with you that money is a tool. Tools are made to be used and most appropriately for good purposes. Again, thank you for your messages. They are most appreciated.
However if the hoarder’s pathway was lined with books…
This gave me a chuckle. I used to accumulate books, and still buy them occasionally. But I took a good look at my shelves one day and realized that my books were showing their age. Yellowed pages, oh my! Some with mildew spots around the edges! Oh, no! And it occurred to me that books unread have little value. So I culled my stash. It felt good to free up some space, to donate so that others might read. I also loan the "keepers" freely. (Ahem, like Philip Gulley's good works.) That feels good, too.
Excellent! I worked for an investment advisor who was very ethical and wanted to help others prepare for their futures. He never put his clients’ money in investments that gave home the biggest commission but what was best for that client. He also benefited from this approach and was very generous with his time and money. I was so grateful to have learned from him! Although I didn’t stay in that profession, it made a big impact on my personal life and in the next profession I pursued.
Terrific message, Phil. It spoke to me not only for what you said but also for an experience I had yesterday. During services yesterday, the minister (who is probably about 65 - 70) said he was going to preach a dialogue or dialogical sermon. I was instantly taken back to the 1970s, a decade that stands out mostly because I met and married the woman who still shares my life. The rest of decade was overshadowed with college, low pay, struggling to start a life with my wife while both of us were earning peanuts and things like that. The idea of a dialogical sermon, though, dredged up memories of singing Kum Ba Yah in church, being encouraged to stand in circles, liturgical dance, etc., etc.
The minister asked us to raise our hands and say who we would like to go back in history to meet and to sit and talk with them over coffee and doughnuts. He also said you could name someone who is alive today. Silence descended so abruptly, I could hear the a/c compressors outside and even the ticking of one of the ceiling fans. Most of the congregation, especially my silver-haired compatriots sat on their hands, figuratively or literally. In desperation, the minister asked the children and teens to chime in. Then came suggestions of Superman, a few sports figures, and Taylor Swift.
I wanted to say that I would like to go back in history to meet my great-great grandfather, Andrew, but I was leery of saying that because this particular minister is an historian and would probably have asked me to explain why -- an explanation that would have strained my objections to speaking in public. Your message yesterday, Phil, gives me the perfect opportunity to explain why I would like to go back in history to meet great-great grandfather Andrew.
Born into Quakerism in 1823, Andrew grew up on a farm with a father who was a rarity for New England. Andrew's father was a recorded Quaker minister in NYEM at a time when there were only a very few such people. Andrew left Quakerism in his early 30s, marrying Juliette, the daughter of another prominent Quaker in that area. The marriage took place in a Congregational church. Andrew made a fortune in his life. He and Juliette gave freely of their money while each was still alive and Andrew wrote a will giving trusts to his children and to Juliette. He left instructions for the future of his company. Andrew stipulated in his will that everything other than the trusts, the home he and Juliette had shared and the business that was dealt with separately, was to be given away. Andrew's son administered the estate for more than 20 years so as not to flood the charities, institutions, schools and hospitals of Rhode Island with too much money at once. Juliette's will did much the same with the trust that had been left to her. Their children and grandchildren were left to deal with whatever money was left in the trusts and to make it in this world on their own.
So, first I would want to ask Andrew (and Juliette since they seemed to act as a team throughout their married lives) why they chose to leave the Quakers and move over to the Baptists. Why after nearly 200 years of Quaker history in the family, why after being descended from Quakers who were persecuted by the Massachusetts Bay Colony authorities with whipping, jailing, and transportation to other colonies, did you reject your heritage? Secondly I would want to ask what motivated you to give away so much of your wealth when you were alive and even more of your wealth after you died. I think it was a great thing to do -- share the wealth with those who need it most, but what was the motivation to do so? Juliette's eulogy notes that she and Andrew often contributed anything needed -- clothes, housing, food, furniture, money for education -- by sending those things to individual homes with a note that just said "From a friend" with no other identifying information. Was the use of the term "friend" with a lowercase "f" just a generic use of of the word or was there some unstated reference to the heritage Andrew and Juliette shared?
My family lost any remaining wealth in the Depression in the same waysothers were hurt by that time. My parents, as well as my wife and I, have had to make it on our own, which is fine. I am not upset that Andrew and Juliette gave all their money away. It was theirs to do with as they saw fit and I'm happy they gave it to charities and hospitals and schools rather than waste it on whatever was the equivalent then of televangelists today or a golden-haired man who sells anything with his image or name.
I'm glad Andrew and Juliette gave so freely to others, but couldn't you have left one letter or one diary entry explaining your motivation to do so? Was it based in your Quaker heritage or in the Baptist faith you dove into with such conviction? Oh well, at least you did the right thing. If I ever win a lottery (it would help, of course, if I bought tickets), I would keep just enough to live on and give all the rest away. Why do I need to be rich? Why do I need more wealth than I need for basic life necessities? Why wouldn't I want to share with those in need?
Another message which is on point! I am in total agreement with you that money is a tool. Tools are made to be used and most appropriately for good purposes. Again, thank you for your messages. They are most appreciated.
Great message. Hope some young people also read it. Thank you, Phillip Gulley.