About Kristina Tahnyak
As a kid when I would ask my parents for a new CD, money to go to the mall, or a new piece of clothing my mother would always tell me that “Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees” It wasn’t until later in life that I would come to fully question, and even later in life fully understand, this money tree statement.
Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees?
Money was just always around when I was a kid growing up. I thought that money was always available because it grew on a tree in our backyard. As we picked the money off our tree it would replace itself just like the flowers and vegetables in our garden.
If we cut fresh tulips for our dining room table they would always grow back. When we picked cherry tomatoes or snow peas from our vegetable garden they would always be available again a few days later, I thought the same rules applied for our Money Tree. When my parents would tell us that we had to wait until next week to buy something I assumed it was because we had to give the money time to grow back on the tree branches.
Money is green like the leaves on trees; money even has a crumbled fragile texture just like the leaves on trees; so you can understand how a child could find the analogy confusing. Money and trees have many similarities. I always thought that our family Money Tree was located in our back yard near the Lilac Bush because that is where my Mom spent most of her time.
Every time I would ask my Mother for something she would pick up her laundry basket and walk outside to the backyard near the Lilac Bush. I learned in fact that this was just a coincidence. My Mother spent a lot of time in the backyard near the Lilac Bush because that is also where our outdoor clothes line was located. My mother was going outside in the backyard to hang our freshly washed clothes.
Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees!
As an adult I have grown up to learn that my Mothers phrase “Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees” was in fact a statement, and not a question.
Money, in fact, doesn’t grow on trees. We actually have to work for our money, and if we can’t afford something we have to wait until our next pay check to buy it or until we have saved enough money to afford it. Money cannot be replenished as an asset without hard work and proper money management.
I have grown up to learn that money is a privilege and not a right. I hope to always have a cash inflow of money and therefore I work hard and save as much as possible. However, I also like to spend my money. As a child I always bought everything I wanted. Now as an adult I have learned the value of money and I am selective about how I spend my money and the purchases I make.
I currently have a money tree in my house but it doesn’t actually produce bills of money as leaves, it is supposed to bring good luck and wealth. Although trees do not actually grow money, the two have many similarities and they require the same tender loving care. I love Trees for their beautiful colour and their fresh smell; I love money for the exact same reasons. Money is like a Tree, we have to learn how to take care of it, we have to nurture it over the years, and then (and only then) can we fully benefit from its beauty.
(Photo by Wonderlane)
Happy Friday DINKS!
