Alex wasn’t much different than any well-adjusted young, working-class man. A sensible 23-year-old, he had graduated from high school five years ago, spending the next two studying a trade, and the last three practicing it at least five days a week – sometimes six, even seven.
He’d wake up regularly at 6:30 a.m. each morning, as his mother routinely did, who molded him into an early riser. And, partly because of his father, who always turned in at just the right time, never staying up too late, a prudent practice he adopted as a boy. Apparently, he inherited those two very different traits from his parents, who died in an auto collision just days after he graduated from trade school.
Much like other working-class folks, he always paid his bills on time, but never bought into the credit system, not even applying for a single credit card or taking out any kind of loan. He drove a twelve-year-old pickup truck, which he paid cash for, and always put every extra bit of money away in a savings account.
Although he earned a pretty good living, bringing home more than an average couple of his age, he wasn’t by any means rich. That is, until he hit the lottery. One ticket – nearly twenty-seven million dollars net.
Divided evenly, it equaled precisely three-hundred, thirty-seven, and a half years’ worth of his annual take-home pay. So much money he really didn’t know what to do with it. More particularly, where to start. Alex trusted his boss, and that’s where he went for advice, “Get a good attorney, find the right accountant, and go with a financial advisor who truly takes your best interest to heart.”
Alex did precisely that, though it did take him a few tries, even after doing as much due diligence as he thought necessary. Now, paired with the right people, he felt a lot more secure. But, he certainly wasn’t going to be a miser. He was already a good-hearted person and this newfound wealth would allow him to give generously, but wisely.
At first, he gave to a reputable wounded warrior charity and a local animal rescue facility, along with a children’s hospital. Those were the biggest checks he ever wrote. But, he didn’t exactly skimp on himself. He moved into a gated community, bought a nice house that wasn’t too big or expensive, and purchased a new truck.
Alex took some more sage advice, a consensus among his lawyer, CPA, and financial advisor – don’t flaunt it, and be sure to keep your name off of public records as best possible. Since he lived in a non-disclosure lottery-winner state, he wouldn’t have to suffer going through a ceremony and press conference. That was a huge relief and helped him to avoid some very unnerving stressful situations. Still, he made himself a promise to get into the habit of blessing others. And, that commitment would lead to one of the hardest lessons he’d ever have to learn.
Alex got real satisfaction out of giving to those three organizations. But, it lacked a personal connection. Sure, he probably helped dozens, scores, maybe even hundreds of others, but he wasn’t likely to meet anyone his donations personally impacted. That nagging feeling lead him to believe helping someone else directly would be even better.
One day, while speaking with his old boss – who he kept in touch with regularly – he sensed an opportunity. His former employer told him that his church recently set up a new program to help families that were fostering children. Parishioners who volunteered to partner with a household and bring them one meal a week.
Although Alex wasn’t much of a cook, he could learn by making different meals and trying out new recipes. What’s more, it would give him a great way to occupy his free time – an ample amount, now that he no longer <em>had</em> to work to earn a living. Better still, he always had an interest in cooking and this would allow him to pursue it as a hobby.
Alex eagerly put his name in the program, waiting with excitement to be paired up with a foster family. The very next day, he received a text from the church, informing him of a potential match – a young couple who took in two toddlers. They had teenage children of their own, who were both independent and nearing graduation but still lived at home. He was given all the relevant contact information and the family’s home address.
Now, he had to prepare a meal for six. That realization made him nervous and doubt his ability to actually make a main dish, side, and dessert. But, he wouldn’t let his anxiety get the best of him. So, he searched for different recipes before happening on the perfect one – a delicious casserole with enough to feed twice as many – twelve servings. Alex drove to the nearest grocery store and picked up all the ingredients. Then, he carefully followed the recipe, taking one step at a time.
Success!
The entree came out marvelously. It was warm and tasty. The same for the side dish and the decadent dessert. Now, he just had to get it all out the door and to the foster family’s house without spilling any of it.
Alex double-checked the family’s address and sent them a text to inform them he was on his way. It was a short drive, only about fifteen minutes away in a working-class part of town. The neighborhood looked quite familiar, just like the one he grew up in and only recently moved away from.
He nervously knocked on the door, trying to delicately balance the dish without dropping it on the front porch. When the couple opened the door, he handed them the casserole and then fetched the side dish and dessert from his new truck. He brought both inside and put them on the kitchen counter, barely even noticing the home’s conditions.
But, when he almost tripped over a half-full box, the house’s state of disrepair became all too obvious. Boxes and junk were piled everywhere. Cracked molding, misaligned kitchen cabinet doors, old and outdated appliances, worn out and stained carpet, peeling interior paint – total disarray. It was all in a sad state and in desperate need of a big-time makeover.
The moment Alex left, he phoned his old boss and told his former employer what he saw. They spoke for a few minutes when the young man of good fortune decided to pay for a complete remodel, from top to bottom. After all, it was the right thing to do and would provide the foster family with a kind of new start. So, Alex told his old boss to make all the necessary arrangements to fix up the foster family’s place – all the work to be paid at the young millionaire’s expense. And, within days, Alex got a call back from his previous boss.
It wasn’t going to be an easy project to pull off. The home used to be a three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath house. Now, it was down to a two-bedroom, one-bath residence. Someone, somewhere along the line, took out a closet and shifted the walls around to create more common space. This meant the cost would go up substantially. And, the kitchen’s electrical and plumbing were utterly inadequate for the demands of a much-needed upgrade. To put it back in order and make it into a three-bed, one-and-a-half bath, would take a lot of time and effort.
Days passed before Alex got the first exciting restoration news. All the junk had been cleared out and the demolition was complete. The crew was already busy installing a new kitchen. Beautiful cabinets, a simple white but charming backsplash, new flooring, and new appliances. Plus, the rest of the house was coming along splendidly, transforming the entire interior space all the way around. Moreover, the plumbing and electrical issues were fixed and everything was proceeding along according to schedule.
Alex received several progress reports via email and text, complete with pictures of the transformation. Everything looked top-notch and he couldn’t wait to finally see the makeover in person. He could just imagine touring the space and seeing all the work that had been done to convert it into a beautiful new place to live for the foster family.
When the work was finished, Alex offered to bring the family another meal of his own making. They accepted but couldn’t host him for at least a couple of weeks. Their oldest children were touring colleges and getting ready for graduation. But, that wasn’t a bother or a problem. In fact, it gave him time to tend to other matters. And, when the day approached, he put his all into making a brand new meal for the family.
Alex spent hours in his kitchen, cooking up enough to serve a dozen people – an oversized entree, a couple of perfectly paired side dishes, and a very yummy dessert. He could barely wait to get to their remodeled house to see the transformation in person. It seemed like every stop light was programmed to turn red at each intersection to slow him down.
When he arrived at the foster family’s place, they came outside to greet him and help carry in the dishes he just finished up less than a half-hour ago. He followed the family in, and what he saw next shocked him as nothing else had before in his life. The place didn’t look <em>anything</em> like it did in the contractor’s makeover photos.
The house was covered in litter and debris. The kitchen counters were soiled and filthy. The new appliances were covered in smudges and grease streaks. The entire space was basically back to the same sad, disorganized, and dirty conditions it used to be in. When Alex asked <em>what</em> had happened, the couple explained to him that while it was a nice gesture, it was just <em>too</em> fancy for them and they actually preferred to live just as they did before.
Alex, stunned by this unbelievable turn of events, stood silent, dumbfounded. He could only react by politely excusing himself. It was a hard lesson the young man, who tried to do something so big to change the couple’s lives, learned through sheer naivete. A lesson he would never forget.
