10/13/2026
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the purpose of life. And the more I think about it, the more I realize that, for me, it all comes down to one thing: the people we love and the time we get to spend with them.
You read it all the time. People nearing the end of their lives never wish they had worked more, made more money, or accomplished more. They wish they had more time. More time with their spouses, their children, their parents, their siblings, and their friends.
Whenever I think about this, my mind goes to my Uncle Reb, who passed away far too soon. I would give just about anything to have more time with him. To hear his voice, to have another conversation, another laugh, another wild card game.
And while I can't get that time back, I can let that feeling remind me of something incredibly important: the time to be with the people we love is NOW, while we're fortunate enough to have them.
Looking at this photo from my uncle's celebration of life, that message really hits home. We spend so much of our lives working hard, building careers, saving money, and planning for the future. And those things matter. I'm certainly someone who believes in hard work and having goals.
But to what end?
Isn't the whole point of building a successful life to actually enjoy it? To have the freedom to slow down, be present, make memories, and spend time with the people who make life worth living?
This is also something I think about often in the work we do with our clients. Retirement planning isn't just about accumulating enough money or making sure a portfolio lasts 30 years.
It's about helping people use what they've worked so hard to build to live a life that feels meaningful to them.
For many, that means more time with family, traveling with friends, being present for grandchildren, or simply having the freedom to enjoy an ordinary Tuesday with someone they love.
Money is a tool. Time is the real gift.
And if there's one thing losing my uncle has reinforced for me, it's that we shouldn't wait until retirement, or until everything on our to-do list is checked off, to start enjoying the people and relationships that matter most.
Because at the end of it all, those relationships are what make a life rich. 💞