Sacrifice, You Don't Know Sacrifice

I don't know sacrifice either, so don't take it personally. In fact, due to the generalizations of the Internet, someone who reads this will know sacrifice, although most of you don't. This comes up for a reason. In the last two weeks no less than four people have asked when I will get a new vehicle. For some reason my 1993 Toyota Previa van with 297,600 miles on it does not seem like it will last forever.

Here is the deal, I am saving money for a trip to Asia, an expensive trip. I want to make sure I can afford it without touching my retirement savings or taking out loans. Cars are expensive, even used. Secondly, 2010 was an enlightening year for me. I was shown that hard work and results is not enough. Some things, many things, like my employment, are not under my control.

The point is, when visibility is low, it is cold and windy, and I am tired I will keep going instead of sitting down to die. I could buy a car, and get fewer strange looks from people, but in a way that is taking the easy way out when the going gets tough. No, no, I don't deserve the easy way out or the convenient solution. If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything, as they say. Well, exposing myself to small sacrifices will hopefully allow me the grace to accept larger sacrifices later in life and even more important, to recognize the sacrifice of the minuscule minority for the majority.