“Love isn’t the work of the tender and gentle. Love is the work of wrestlers.” ~ Rumi
Dear friends, family and colleagues,
This letter has been a hard letter to write. It’s been many months in the making, mostly because it’s hard for me to ask for help. So let me get right to heart of matters.
The Need
Like many of the elderly in 21st century America, my retirement savings have not kept pace with increasing interest rates, taxes, rising living costs like food, gasoline, insurance, healthcare and other ongoing expenses.
As many of you know I have been struggling with aging and the treatment effects of throat cancer for the last three years. Chemo and radiation therapy profoundly change your body and brain in unexpected and challenging ways. And while my earnings over 6 decades have mostly been sufficient to support myself and my family, my ability to invest wisely and manage money skillfully has never quite made the grade (I actually never expected to be around at this late date).
The Ask
So, here’s what I’m asking: listen to your own heart. My own heart has finally prompted a request for whatever support you might be able to lend to my wife and me to allow us to remain in our home of nearly 20 years. If this process has to be transactional, I want it to be a win-win for everyone. But what truly transforms a transaction in my experience, is when the heart embraces the exchange.
What we need is for 100 people to lend us $40 a month (or 40 people lending $100 a month) for two years to get us to whatever the universe has next in store for us then. We are essentially asking our community to provide a “Soul Second” personal loan against the current $400,000 – $700,000 equity in our home. And while we know real estate only realizes value when it’s sold, building is booming here on Whidbey Island, and we fully expect and intend to be able to return what you lend, plus 5% annual simple interest, beginning after two years or upon the sale of our home, whichever comes first. During those two years we will be fully engaged in a collaborative discernment process to discover what comes next.
Whatever you can do to help will be much appreciated. If you’re open to having a conversation with me about this challenge, that would be appreciated and welcome as well. Should you feel so inclined, monthly lending amounts can be offered through Paypal directly to: sigmundjung@gmail.com or through Venmo to: @Mark-Brady-59 . There is also a Patreon page you can access HERE to see the work I’m currently creating to offer to the community.
Sincerely yours,
Mark & Muriel
P.S. Feel free to consider inviting and collaborating with any folks in your circle who might also be open to this request who have the means and experience to give Big Heart Answers to the Big Brain Question.
P.S.S If you want to see the detailed plan we have in place to insure everyone gets their loan repaid with interest (should a Boeing jet drop a fuselage door into our kitchen during tomorrow’s dinner), email me: sigmundjung@gmail.com
I hope things go well for you. Unfortunately, I’m currently dealing with issues myself.
Thanks, Alden. I appreciate you letting me know and I hope things go well for you, too. Years ago, a wisdom teacher said something profound that has remained with me for decades: “The greatest wealth is being an integral member of a loving community.” May it continue to be so.
Blessings,
Mark
I will support.
Thank you. Your acknowledgement and engagement are both much appreciated. I’ll look forward to hearing further from you by email.
And again, thank you.
Mark