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Kathy Wheeler | Dreams on Hold...What would you do with a Million Dollars?
November 20, 2013
Sometimes you never know where your inspiration might come from. As I began to
put together this post, I ran across a blog that offered 105 ideas to blog.
There were two that caught my attention. The first one, What 5 things would you
buy if you won a million dollars; the second, leave a cliffhanger and answer on
another post. Intriguing, but that seemed a little unfair. So as I was contemplating the five things I would buy if I had a million
dollars. The list is fairly routine: 1. Pay off my only daughter's school loans and provide her with a plane ticket
any time she wanted to come home to visit. (She is an Integrated Services
Coordinator, i.e., Special Education team leader in East Palo Alto County. I
live in Oklahoma.) 2. I'd pay off my mother's debt too. (I think by then 2/3 of my million may be
obliterated) 3. Next I think I might build my dream house — and have my apartment downtown
during NBA season. (I'm a season ticket holder, you know.)
4. Now I'm pretty sure I'm down to my last 200k. I'd better put half in savings. 5. The last 100k I would use for marketing, which is what inspired the title of
my post. . .
People like me rarely become millionaires. In fact, there are so many people
like me that we get lost in the shuffle. Let me explain.
When my daughter (who is now 33) was two, her father and I divorced. For the
most part, it was an amiable split. I did not feel guilty. We were young when we
married. He was a hothead. He loved his daughter but was more concerned with
"the other woman" and his business. He remarried right away. That, too, was not
an issue for me. Obviously, I was ready to strike out on my own. However, I had
a young child. And he decided his $300 / month child support was too much. He offered to sign over all rights to me, in order not to pay. I declined. I was
not married, nor was I looking to remarry at the time. So he decided not to pay
anyway.
There you have it. I was a single parent, no college degree (at the time). But I
was a responsible mom. I always managed a job of some sort. I paid my rent, my
day care, my car payment. I struggled to buy groceries. Trips to Blockbuster and
the book store was our frequent entertainment. I lived in Dallas at the time.
Not necessarily the least expensive place in the world, but, one managed. And I
did. We did. You see, my daughter and I were a team. This theme is very
prevalent in my latest release LIES THAT BIND.
We did not have a million dollars. We had each other. There were times I worked
two jobs to make ends meet. We did not get on Oprah. (I love Oprah). We didn't
make the news. Because, like so many others, we were the norm. Hardworking,
bill-paying, but with our dreams on hold.
I am an artsy person. I love to sing, I've done some community theater acting,
and . . . I write romance. My destiny. Nothing in my life has come easy, which I
suspect, makes me very appreciative of my accomplishments. (Like getting my
college degree at age 39. Working up the nerve to singing in front of people at
age 34.) These may not seem like much, but they were huge milestones to me.
Insurmountable. And while I pray you enjoy what I so desperately need to fill my
soul, I love that I am finally grasping my dreams.
Dreams no longer on hold.
Comments
16 comments posted.
Re: Kathy Wheeler | Dreams on Hold...What would you do with a Million Dollars?
Keep singing...keep acting...keep writing and keep loving.
That is worth MORE than a million dollars any day.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
(Patricia (Pat) Pascale 2:37pm November 20, 2013)
Good for you. I hope your daughter is in some kind of contact with her
father if she wants to be, but you made the right decision. She might have
ended up resenting you, but you left that door open for her. You're a great
mom.
(Susan Falkler 2:54pm November 20, 2013)
What would I do with a million dollars? After I revived myself from passing out, I would pay off my house, buy a little house in a warm climate....Arizona sounds nice...hmmm. The rest would go into the bank for living....retired and never seems to be enough money does it? It sounds like you have done very well...you have turned out a great daughter, have a career as a writer that you worked hard for and you have a good sense of humor...Have a great Thanksgiving.
(C Culp 4:12pm November 20, 2013)
I would share it with my family first
(Patricia Lambert 11:24am November 21, 2013)
Susan. My daughter does have a relationship with her father. I
am friends with him as well, and so is my current husband. I
truly wanted what was best for HER! Thank you for saying that.
(Kathy Wheeler 12:36pm November 21, 2013)
Thank you, Pat Pascale. I will indeed!
(Kathy Wheeler 12:50pm November 21, 2013)
I guess, the usual things. I never really think about it. Pay off the house, take a trip, money to family.
(Callie Hutton 1:02pm November 21, 2013)
Wonderful post. I love getting to know you. And now I understand your drive. Wishing you the best and I hope all your dreams come true.
(Jessica Ferguson 2:31pm November 21, 2013)
Oh, Kathy. What a wonderful glimpse of what has made you the strong, confident, talented woman you are today. Thank you so much for sharing. And thank you for marching ahead toward your dreams until you finally reached them.
(Anna Kittrell 2:36pm November 21, 2013)
I would like to help out my sisters and brother, take a few trips (Hawaii, Australia and Ireland), make sure my kids (both adults) have a solid bank account and then I would quit my job and follow a dream of being a writer. Thanks for letting me dream a little. By the congrats on the degree, that is something to be very proud of.
(Annetta Sweetko 3:28pm November 21, 2013)
Thank you everyone. Annetta, You'll reach your dream too. It's
a day by day thing.
(Kathy Wheeler 3:50pm November 21, 2013)
I congratulate you on the grit and determination that you had to raise your Daughter. I'm sure that you instilled those same qualities in her, and she'll go far in life. That makes her a survivor, no matter what she does!! After my Husband lost his job 6 years ago, and we lost everything we had trying to save it, along with losing everything we had (literally), if I had a million dollars, I wouldn't be parting with too much of it. We're still in the process of rebuilding our lives. The only things that come to mind is that I would get a second vehicle, because our current vehicle is 14 years old. I'd also purchase some furniture, because we had to leave ours behind after losing the house. I would also pay off our debts, and give some to charity, and probably bank the rest, in case of emergency. I'm sure my husband would have a ton of ideas, but I would sooner put the money in a CD or Money Market than spend it. It's an interesting question, and I enjoyed having a peek into your life. I'm sure that your Daughter is proud of you, and your ex is jealous. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
(Peggy Roberson 4:42pm November 21, 2013)
What a great dream! I would help my grandchildren and pay off their home loans and buy me a place in the country that is nice and quiet. I would donate some to veteran organizations and homeless shelters. Travel would be a nice perk.
(Linda Harrison 8:30pm November 21, 2013)
I would build temples in my home country (Laos) and use most of it
to invest in land, gold and others ventures that'll make more
money. Some tiny part of it, I'd build a house for my parents so
they can have the house of their dreams. Something comfortable
with lots of graden space and a yard to walk around on.
(Lazydrag0n Puff 10:55am November 22, 2013)
My dreams would include fixing up my house. I used to laugh
about a DIY saying that if you go in any room in a house,
there's always something needing to be done or fixed.
(Alyson Widen 3:08pm November 22, 2013)
I think I would prepare for the future.
(Mary Preston 7:15pm November 22, 2013)
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