In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae, May 1915

Today is Remembrance Day here in Canada. Having participated in many Remembrance Day ceremonies, talking to some veterans, and being present at historical WWI and WWII sites like Antwrep, Normandy, and concentration camps, Remembrance Day always makes me set aside a few minutes to reflect about my own life. I always spend a few minutes to think where I am on my life journey and feel truly blessed. When these wars broke out, many young people volunteered to serve their countries. They wanted to help their countries and fight for freedom. Many of them made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives. Unfortunately, soldiers were not the only ones that lost their lives in these wars as many innocent people, like the Jews, also lost their lives. War is a terrible thing and we should all remember not to repeat the history and remember how terrible the loss of million of lives is.

wwi

wwii

If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably like me, fighting for financial freedom, but we also need to remember that there are higher priorities in life than being financially independent. There are more to life than reaching financial freedom, we should all remember to spend quality time with ones we love, share laughs with friends and family, cherish the special moments, and be appreciative that we’re alive. Life is about balance. What balance means for me may be different for you. It’s in us to determine balance in our lives. Life shouldn’t be just about work, and life shouldn’t be just about leisure. We all need to enjoy the present moment but think about our future. You Only Live Once (YOLO) concept will provide us with fun and excellent present but will ruin our future. It’s definitely the wrong concept to follow if financial independence is your goals.

Life is too short. Find your own balance in terms of spending and saving. Save money on the small things is important because the savings will add up eventually. What’s more important is saving on the big expenses.

Take a moment or two to say I love you to the ones you love. Because you never know if you will have the chance to do that tomorrow.

Share on:
.

10 thoughts on “In Flanders Fields”

  1. Hi Tawcan,

    Great post. Since I live in Belgium I visited some of the battlefields of WW I. When I’m on one of those warcementries I always get a cold feeling. It is a shame that 100 years after WW I mankind still hasn’t learnt to live in peace.

    Cheers,
    Geblin

    Reply
  2. Great post Tawcan.

    Our goal to reach Financial Independence should not, in my opinion, mean that we sacrifice the now. Maybe it all ends tomorrow, who knows. For me, it is all about finding the balance between yolo and FIRE.

    Reply
    • Finding the balance between YOLO and FIRE – great point! I think YOLO may different from person to person, so it’s something that’s individual based. What I consider as YOLO may not be for you, and vice versa.

      Reply
  3. Thanks for the great post Tawcan. Rememberance Day is special. Thanks to all the veterans out there who have given us peace and prosperity today. Much love to our Vets.
    Let’s enjoy the ride because lifes too precious. Cheers bud.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

 

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.