Besides our grit, my brother and I don’t have the same personality and traits. We came from a family of white-collar workers and ended up having successful careers. I married an electrician with an incredibly victorious business, but my brother can’t shake the fact that he is an electrician. One day, my brother’s snide remarks got the best of me. Karma got to him before I did.
I’ve always been blessed to have the most hardworking parents, who raised me comfortably. We had more than we needed growing up, but my parents made sure to teach their kids how to work hard and have a business mindset.
My dad, Tom, runs his own business, and my mom, Linda, is a brain surgeon. My older brother, Jack, is a lawyer who loves flaunting his wealth. He had been wanting to start his own law firm but was too lazy to do the dirty work.
He preferred maintaining his lavish lifestyle, buying expensive suits, shoes, and belts. He also drives a Porsche that he talks about non-stop. To top it off, he’s engaged to his third fiancée.
In contrast, I’m much more introverted and usually happy to stay in the background. I run my own business, which does quite well. However, my husband, Mark, is the real breadwinner.
He’s a master electrician with a highly successful business that brings in more than four times what I make. Despite our income, we live a modest lifestyle and prefer to keep our earnings private. Jack doesn’t know that Mark didn’t just become an electrician; he also went to business school, which helped him turn his skills into a thriving enterprise.
Mark’s humility is one of his most admirable traits. Instead of splurging on luxuries, he channels a significant portion of his income into charitable donations and investing in startups.
My parents are aware of this generosity, especially after we surprised them with an all-expense-paid cruise for their 30th wedding anniversary. As a frequent traveler, my dad knew the hefty price that came with the ticket and was taken aback by the gesture.
Leave a Reply