A Christmas Greeting
Merry Christmas
The last few years have been a roller coaster. Covid lockdowns, opening back up, a new way of doing business from home or internet along with the challenges that followed; supply chain issues leading to inflation, rising interest rates and the war in the Ukraine.
Despite all the challenges we are facing I was uplifted this September after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. I saw the world come together to not morn at the loss of a Queen but to celebrate the life of an amazing woman who did her duty though many trials and tribulations, personal challenges and through economic times that were good and bad. What made her resilience that more remarkable was that in the most challenging times her faith and belief that things would get better never waned.
We have always aimed to minimize the negative impacts through our asset allocation format. However, this year is only the 2nd time since WWII that both the equity and bond markets both declined. With talk of a recession the markets will start to look past this and growth will return as it has after every previous recession in Canada. As we all adjust to these new economic trends, we also adjust your portfolios to remain well-balanced and diversified.
Let’s now put business aside and enjoy the spirit of this Holiday Season spreading best wishes and good cheer to our fellow men and women- Merry Christmas to all!
We have been touched by the story “A Carrot, An Egg and A Coffee Bean” and we are sure it will touch you as well. Please take time to enjoy it and let’s reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Please feel free to share with family, friends and even strangers.
We look forward to seeing you in person in the New Year or we can meet safely via Skype, Zoom or phone. Please feel free to call or email for an appointment by contacting Terry at terry.wyatt@manulifesecurities.ca phone 289 479 5059 or Diana at dkancko@manulifesecurities.ca phone 289 479 5512.
We wish you all the best this Christmas Season and the coming New Year.
Best regards,
From the Wyatt Financial Team
David, Katlin, Diana and Terry.
A Carrot, An Egg, and A Coffee Bean
May we all be coffee!
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean? Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you (I JUST DID); to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.
If you don't send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with this message! This is so true - may we all be COFFEE.
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