Growing up, my father was the one who instilled values of thriftiness in me.
Even when he became his own boss, he still took the public bus and train. Up to today, he still does so— nearly everywhere he goes.
Growing up, I distinctly remembered the times I was shocked by a few of his financial decisions— how this man who scrimped and saved every cent, who never takes the taxi, who still asks his staff to buy $2.50 chapfan (Chinese hawker fare) and who never buys a cafe coffee for himself— would spend a great deal to buy me a high school prom dress (why bother?) or spend thousands to attend my graduation ceremony at Hopkins (why trouble himself?)
As a parent today, who is now making a dozen financial decisions every day for myself and our children, it all makes sense to me now.
It was never about the dollars and cents in the first place. It was always about what he valued. He valued me.
Here in Perth, as I come to terms with understanding why we came here in the first place, I am learning, our values and where we place them, not the absolute cost of something, should always drive the decisions we make.
Because that’s what makes life worth living in the end.