Yep, it’s Tax Day! (or should I say Oh, my…it’s TAX DAY!)
The good part: You’re done with your taxes for a whole ‘nother year (or you’ve filed that the execution).
The bad part: Nothing I say will make it better if this is one of those years in which you feel the pain.
I always want to find a silver lining, but after taxes, all I have left is an aluminum lining. Hey, it’s still shiny, no one can tell from a distance, and I can always recycle.
The good news about a large tax bill is that you’re doing something right, like making good money. Or, conversely, you’ve had a good time spending good money even while forgetting to save some for “UNCLE.”
Either way, I want to take a small moment here (not too long ‘cause I gotta get back to work) to say that I’ve traveled a lot, a ton, a whole bunch all over the world. In the poorest place I had ever been, after I had given away all the money I had brought to give, and even after I said I didn’t have any more, a bright light of a child asked where I was from, and when I said “America,” his eyes lit up.
“America?! Is it as wonderful as people say it is?” he asked.
I stumbled out: “It tries to be. It’s made up of people, and people don’t do everything right, but I think the best thing I can say is that America tries to be wonderful most all of the time.”
Believe me, I find myself often LAMEnting some of the LAME decisions that those I send the money to and what “they” ultimately use the money for. But in April, when I file my taxes, I reflect that I am lucky to pursue a career and a life in an atmosphere of safety, comfort, freedom of speech, and sometimes even wonderfulness. A place where we don’t get everything right, but if you look, you’ll see a lot of people trying to get it right.
And when they don’t get it right? Some of us get material!