THE TASSEL

As a board member of our local school, I am blessed to have one of the best seats in the house for graduation.  This year was no exception.  As I began walking on the freshly mowed grass still saturated with morning dew, I became an emotional rollercoaster. Was it the fact that between my toes, fresh grass was now stuck, and I was wearing my favorite new shoes?  Was it the familiar music of “Pomp and Circumstance" that was connecting my emotional memories to my own graduation?

While both of these may have contributed, I was simply overwhelmed thinking how blessed I was to have a front row seat and witness these seniors, some of which had been on the Pelham Banking Company’s Youth Advisory Board for four years, graduate.  I thought about the role Pelham Banking Company had played as I watched hundreds of parents, grandparents, friends respectfully stand as their loved ones’ names were called. These young men and women proceeded across the stage to receive their diploma and I literally wept.  The opposite emotional ride came when I recalled a recent article I read that stated some critic of financial education claim that financial behavior ‘rarely changes” as a result of financial education.

Is this true?  I mean these young people and I had recently “cash mobbed” a local restaurant to show community support for goodness sakes.  I had taught some of these students in the 5^th grade how to operate a lemonade stand, balance a budget in high school and while in kindergarten many had their first visit to the bank to learn about Safe Deposit Boxes.  Was all of our efforts in vain? 

Just as these thoughts were running through my mind, it happened. One of my “favorite” seniors, announced “seniors turn your tassels” and it was like a wink from above.  I realize just as each one individually turned their own tassel, each will ultimately make their own financial decisions, every one of them held this prized possession in their hands.  The tassel made of top quality silk and threads placed upon their heads has a historical background of by simply possessing such fine materials indicates you're wealthy and influential and the turning indicates you are ready for what lies ahead.

Yes, Pelham Banking Company, just like everyone else, had guided them to this moment. I left smiling knowing the tassel was now in their hands and the grass under their feet was indeed green and still between my toes.

Respect Shown is Respect Taught

As I spoke to many students during the month of April as part of the National Teach the Children to Save initiative, I witnessed several attempts by faculty and staff to encourage the students to show respect.  One school’s administrator simply “clapped” and asked for a clap response from the elementary school students when she felt they were getting too loud.  This worked so well, I wondered if I could try this with my grandchildren.

The second school was quite different, mainly due to a different age group.  I noticed a teacher carrying hats.  When I questioned the reason for the hats, she stated the school had a policy of “no hats” allowed in the building and when two students continued to disrespect the rule, she confiscated the hats with the intent to later allow them to retrieve the hats from her room at the end of school.

While both of these techniques obviously were means of teaching students respect, I couldn’t help but wonder how these students might act when no clapping is present or when no one tells them to take off their hat.

The answer was then affirmed to me when I received a picture from our recent Women in the Workforce Luncheon of myself and a dear sweet friend.  Looking at this picture I was thankful that someone took the time to show me how to be respectful. This picture was not rehearsed as I didn’t even know it was being taken.  I was simply doing what came natural.

Therefore, I am convinced that many students will instinctively hear a clap when someone begins to speak, some will envision their hat being removed as they walk into a building and some will even hear their mother’s voice saying, “remember to bow your head and close your eyes when someone is praying”. 

Financial Impact In A Hug

I was recently blessed to travel with some amazing 8^th grade students to discover the financial footprints of their home state.  This bank-sponsored Financial Education Georgia Studies Tour afforded many students from all walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to enjoy a “first”!  For many of these students this was their “first” trip to their state’s Capitol.  As each student sat down on the lawn after enjoying their time at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame for a picnic lunch, the majority stated this was their “first” picnic.  For a few, this was their “first” time to stay in a hotel, and it was even a “first” time traveling more than 30 miles away from home for a couple.    

While I personally was completely blown away that sales-traveler expenditures contributed close to $350 million to Macon, Georgia’s economy and supported 3,400 jobs not to mention the tax relief and benefit to the local economy, I wasn’t quite sure the students “got it”.  I mean this was their “first” time hearing this information.  However, in spite of the excessive talking and blank stares, I continued to tell the story of the economic impact each new adventure afforded us.  I also tried to relate real life examples of how it ultimately impacted them personally.

On the last day of our tour as we walked into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historical Museum, my heart was touched as one young man walked up to a statue on the “freedom walk” of an elderly lady and just indiscriminately hugged her. With my cellphone in hand, I captured the moment, and I instantly became the student.  What hit me was not the economic impact of the money the museum brought to the city of Atlanta, but the future economic impact this young man will have within his own community all because of someone else’s sacrifice. I was further assured of this young man’s potential as we stopped at the final rest stop on the way home, when walking in to see all the cherry blossom displays, he asked the attendee, “So what is the economic impact of the cherry blossom festival?” And I’m sure by the look on her face that was her “first” time being asked that question from an 8^th grader.

Dear Younger Me,

"Mrs. Lorenda, how do I put money on my card?”  This was a question I received this week.  Though this may not seem like a strange question to you, I found this statement to be like I had been hitting my head against a wall.

This very brilliant senior had been in my basic banking 101 presentation and the perplexity of this statement made me shake my head. Especially due to the fact that I knew she had a checking account. Henceforth, the reason she was issued a “card”!

This young lady was not even thinking in terms of having a checking account.  She only equated that she used a debit card, was able to track it on her phone and up until now more than likely family members had put money in her account.

As I stood there, with “where did I go wrong” running through my head, the song “Dear Younger Me” from one of my favorite groups, “Mercy Me” came to mind. One of my favorite lines says, “If I knew then what I know now, condemnation would’ve had no power”.  

Given the same circumstances, would the “younger me” have known the answer to that question? Probably not, so no condemnation here. So how do we teach this generation basic banking 101?  We don’t!  We kick-it up to banking 10.1 and stop talking about writing checks and signature lines. Better yet, we explain “how the money gets on the card” and how to keep that card and their information safe.   

Finally, note to “Dear Younger Me”, the video chat between George and Mr. Spacely, (if you’re not sure…google the Jetson’s) is called Skype and facetime…buy stock in Apple now.  

What Are Panty Hose?

I’m awakened at 6am with a text that says, ‘Hey, when you get up call me”. HUM…well I’m up now. I close my eyes and think, I have another 30 minutes before I get up. Second text, 6:10am.  “I need to be at doctor’s office at 8am, going to try and get girls ready for 100^th day of school dressing up”.

Even though I knew my son-in-law had to be at work early this week, I’m still thinking, “ok”. Third text, “baby is sick and I’m worried”.  Well, forget that you think I might overreact, why didn’t you just say that to start with?

I Jump in shower and rush to the house, arrive at 7am greeted by the girls with baby powder in their perfectly secured hair buns, to make their hair look gray and dressed like two little old ladies for the 100^th day of school. The baby is playing on the floor and smiles as I walk in.  I can’t do anything but smile.

However, I am also thinking what am I missing?  Within less than 24 hours, our daughter and son-in-law “The Millennials” were stating their aggravation by the last-minute notification from the school desiring the girls to celebrate the 100^th day of school by dressing up. “They need to give people more notice”!

This is also the same “Millennials” that left our house at 7pm for their family bicycle ride, only after one of the girls rushed in the house in dramatic fashion declaring they “needed a bicycle pump fast for their tires”. The same “Millennials” that by 8pm had made calls and obtained the girls eye-glasses with the lenses out and secured two walking canes for their attire. Now 7am, after being up with the baby during the night, and texting me, was standing there in her bathrobe just chilling.

Now truly my only contribution other than being woke up was, when asked to give her ideas to dress the girls up, to which my reply was “OH, they need some knee-high panty hose”.  With that both girl simultaneously stated “what are pan-tee hose”?      

My point...Go on dreaming you know what this generation wants or thinks and then let me sell you some stock in Panty Hose!

OOPS…I did it again.

Every year I say and I quote, “I am not going to spend this much money on Christmas presents next year, we have totally missed the whole reason for the season”.

But every year, to quote the song, “I played with your heart, got lost in the game”.  When you have five children, their spouses, 12 grands, parents, brothers, sister, sister-in-law, nieces, nephews, friends and this list goes on, it’s so easy to get lost in the game and what’s a girl to do?

Then there is the whole “most wonderful time of year” thing that plays with my heart. Am I the only one that gets caught-up in the spirit of giving?  I mean, I can’t forget about my hairdresser, and then there is the less fortunate that I know baby Jesus is pleased with me doing a little something for them.

The truth is “'I’m not that innocent” (yes that is another quote from the song). I know full and well that I don’t have that kind of money. I also know that spending more money than I should is definitely not going to determine how those that I love judge me. Furthermore, it doesn’t add one ounce of reasoning for the season.  Finally, I know when I intercept the credit card bill, that I am not doing it because of my concern for my husband’s health. Although I realize it would give him a heart attack, and I would be left a widow.

I do it because it makes me feel good in the moment and I am a fool in so many ways (I can’t get the song out of my head ok). But just like the Christmas cookies that I had one too many of, the after affects have consequences. So, I am putting all my family and friends that read this on notice…Oh Baby Baby, I’m taking control.    

The Measure of Wealth

Recently while sightseeing in the affluent green hills of Brentwood, Tennessee, I was a little surprised when the tour guide spoke about the amount of involvement the rich and famous had in the local community. While many of them had high fences to maintain privacy, these celebrities’ children attended the local public schools and could frequently be seen at school plays, and even at the local Publix’s shopping for groceries.  While I totally “get-it” that these are simply real people, I found it quite fascinating. I also began imagining what the interaction between these family members over Christmas dinner or simply life after school would look and sound like behind the walls.

As soon as we returned home, we drove to be with family members that had recently lost their patriarch.  This brother, father, husband and grandfather was a gentle giant and was truly loved by so many. I listened as my husband, this sweet man’s children and grandchildren spoke of their times together. The stories of the private moments they shared laughing and enjoying each other seemed to paint a picture of his life I didn’t know existed. It also seemed to be some of the best times for this sweet family.  Now while this home was far from the green hills of the affluent neighborhood in Tennessee, for some reason the stories my husband’s family told resembled some of the same pictures I had imagined for the life of the Rich and Famous.

How could this be? Could it truly be that the measure of one’s wealth was not summed up by an outward appearance or by zip code?  Was one life style better than the other? I left resolved that neither was right or wrong and at the end of the day, behind all walls: high and low, lies our greatest assets.  Merry Christmas