finale

Hello Week 31 of Project Money!  This is the final week for my official Project Money journey.  Growing up I remember watching The Wizard of Oz, the 1939 movie based on Baum’s children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  I loved Dorothy and Toto, Dorothy’s Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, and was equally terrified by the Wicked Witch of the West and the flying monkeys.  As a young girl, I watched with wide eyes as Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, The Tin Man, and Scarecrow proceeded on the yellow brick road to Emerald City in search of home, courage, a brain, and a heart respectively.  And in the end, I too was dismayed by the revealing of the “Wizard,” as appearances truly are different than reality.

Years later in 2013, the musical Wicked debuted, based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked.  It depicts a messy and complicated Wizard of Oz story from the point of view of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Galinda, or Glinda the Good Witch.  As many of us know, point of view is essential in understanding not only texts but also life itself. By walking in someone else’s shoes (AKA hearing the backstory of The Wicked Witch) we as viewers can try to better understand and empathize with not only the protagonist in this story but those we interact with each and every day. 

As I reach the formal end of blogging for Project Money, I reflect on my journey of familiarizing myself with my backstory.  This is real and it’s not a dream.  As part of my backstory, I am a mother of three.  That’s the way it is. I make mistakes and I relish in life’s simplest glories. Sometimes I feel defeated for a little while but quickly pick myself back up and focus on thriving instead of surviving.   In “The Wizard and I,” Elphaba sings about being accepted, and in “I’m Not That Girl,” one prominent message is not losing sight of who you are.  I always prided myself in being a strong and confident woman and while I am one, the truth is it took someone challenging that self-perception for me to grow. 

Like there are two sides of a coin, complementary elements in the yin and yang, and both virtues and vices in each of us, our journeys in life are just that – wrought with both joys and challenges and successes and setbacks. As Elphaba sings, she shares that people come into our lives for a reason – we learn, we grow, we change, and we give in return.  Back in May, as Project Money was just getting started, my boyfriend Rick and I had a conversation about life.  He said at the end of the day we are all people and he reiterated the importance of spending time with those you love – surrounding ourselves with positive people who challenge us and bring out the best in us.  Since my divorce, I have grown so much.  Project Money came into my life when I needed it the most; this program is a community of passionate people interested in helping others be the best that they can be.  I worked with Jess, Emily, Amy, Rick, my family, colleagues, and countless others. Although my Project Money journey is formally ending and as tears of gratitude are dripping from this page, I know in my heart of hearts that I will keep growing. I now do a better job differentiating between needs and wants, I am investing, I have refinanced my house and gone from a 30-year mortgage to a 12-year one. I’m more active in DIY home improvement projects instead of contracting jobs out at exorbitant prices, cook more and eat out less, prioritize giving to causes I am passionate about, and have surrounded myself with a community of learners, new friends and coaches who value what I value. I have decluttered my home and am doing more with less, am less materialistic and more focused on adventures, have modeled and taught my children some good life lessons that they will emulate if they so choose, and am filled with greater independence and security in all areas of my life.  And whether my slippers are a ruby red hue or silver is irrelevant.  What does matter at the end of the day are our positive relationships with other people and discovering that home is truly where one places their heart. Thank you Summit Credit Union for beginning my journey down the yellow brick road.  

#TeamSara #10K #embracethejourney #ProjectMoney2018 #SummitCreditUnion #Lifeistooshortnottotakerisks