Investment Lesson

by Laura Tarasoff

“I bought myself a new coat.”
My mother announced
As if she had bought a diamond ring.
“That’s nice.”
I was happy for her
“You don’t understand,”
Distress in her voice,
“I bought MYSELF a NEW coat.”
I got it
My mother hadn’t had a brand new coat
In, what, years? Ever?
“That’s Great, Mom!”
Her smile shone over the phone line.
The lesson was not learned until,
I bought myself a new coat.
I have become my mother.

“Someday we’d like to travel.”
My mother sighed.
“You should go.”
There was never, what?
Money? Time? Health?
They never went.
Lesson learned.
I went, and plan to go again
I will learn from my mother’s mistake
She taught me by example

There will always be reasons not to,
They drain your soul of hope
When you do
You realize the reasons to go
Are the life your soul has been missing
There is joy.
Take the trip.
Buy the coat.