Be Human. Be Grateful. Live to Fight Another Day.
This is not an investment message.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of speaking with several clients. I also used the opportunity to take a needed step back, sit down with my wife and son, and talk to other friends and family about the events we are observing. This really got me thinking beyond the financial X's and O's that come with my job.
This is a critical time where the good old phone will come in handy. Call your family, call your friends. Ask them how they are doing. Ask if there is anything you can do to help. Tell your mail delivery person, "thank you." Call your grocery store, and anywhere else where shelves are being diligently restocked. See if there is anything you can do to help their employees. The shelf stockers are the unsung heroes during this crisis. Many likely have no choice in the matter, either. They are, in my view, and I don't think it's an extreme exaggeration, heroes like those who walked into the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan following the Tsunami. They do not have the luxury of social distancing. They are getting paid hourly to have people yell at them because they are out of sirloin steaks, and "if I were a store manager, I would..... blah blah blah". If you must go (reluctantly) to the store, be sure to tell those you have come to know over the years who always greet you with a smile, how grateful you are. Maybe slip them cash (disinfected) or a check (you can gift quite a bit per person, per year without gift tax. Up to $15K per person, for the year 2020.)
Consider donating to your local food bank. Making a cash donation to a local food bank can help them prepare for the possibility of increased demand due to virus-driven school closings or workers receiving lower paychecks with fewer hours than usual, trying their best to make ends meet.
Within our society, a new phrase has entered the lexicon; Social Distancing. This is the physical distancing of our physical selves from others to avoid the spread of an illness so that we can all live to fight another day. This is critically important to honor. Still, it's important not to confuse that phrase with the idea of distancing ourselves from social empathy. You can physically keep yourselves safe while helping others. Talk to one another, help one another. Appreciate one another.
Personally, I can practice social distancing with little to no disruption of my normal life. I'm able to work from the comfort of my home, staring at a stock market screen all day. I am one of the lucky ones. I have absolutely nothing to complain about. Markets lose a year's worth of gains because of a freak virus? Whatareyagonnado? There will be plenty of time to look back at this to figure out how to better insulate portfolios from a potential 100-year flood (easy answer, it's nearly impossible in advance).
Until then, take care of one another and wash your hands.
Brian Aberle, CFP®️
President, Aberle Investment Management LLC
200 Capitol St., #201, Eagle, CO 81631
(970) 432-7040 http://www.aberleinv.com/