May 2020

The following is a letter to my future grandchildren.  I wanted to remember things that I have learned during this time to share with them. Here are my thoughts:

Dear Wonderful Ones,

When I was growing up, I would hear my grandparents share stories about life during the Great Depression or life during WWII.  They talked about the sacrifices that they made or maybe they just went without. I have often thought about what a time they must have lived through that drew everyone so close to work together towards one cause, or to support ones family.  I wonder how my life would be different if I had experienced those things.  Today, I, along with your Grandpa, and your parents, and millions of other Americans are experiencing our modern day life-changing event.  At the beginning of this year (2020), a fast-growing, highly contagious virus has spread throughout the world causing a global pandemic.  It has been named COVID-19.  For the last month or so, we have all been asked to do our part by staying at home.  It sounds so surreal, but it’s true. Rather than ‘fighting’ for a cause, our government has requested that to keep our neighbors and ourselves safe, it is better to stay home. By staying home, I mean that literally.  Everything is closed.  The only time we go anywhere is for our every two-week grocery-shopping trip.  It seems so strange, but everyone is in the same boat.  We don’t go out to restaurants, or the movies or do any other kind of shopping, we aren’t even able to hang out with family and friends.  We use a lot of technology to communicate and ‘see’ each other so we can stay connected while being apart. 

As we go through this really strange time, I thought I would share a few things that I am learning:

1. It’s good to share how you’re FEELING. This change in our lives has been so dramatic that I have experienced many different emotions. Sadness, fear, anxiety, worry, depression.  What I have found that works best, is for me to share what I am feeling. Sometimes I share it with my team at work, sometime with Grandpa, sometimes with my workout pals, and sometimes just in quiet prayer.
2. PLANNING for your life is very important. With my job, I am lucky to work with all kinds of people during all different stages of life, but the main focus for my clients is planning.  Planning for retirement, planning while living in retirement, planning for after retirement, you get the point.  It can be really scary when you see the stock market drop dramatically and not feel like there is an end in sight.  I try to remind my clients that we have planned for this moment.  While no one knew this would happen, we always discuss what is going on now and what is needed in the next 6-12 months, so we can plan accordingly. Do they have a savings safety net at the bank?  Will they need any withdrawals from their investments?  Are they over a certain age and we just shouldn’t have that much in stocks anyway?  Everyone is in a unique situation, but you need to plan for your future now so you don’t have to worry about it later.
3. People are inherently GOOD. During this time there have been so many wonderful stories shared about generous and good people. In my neighborhood, people have left flowers and painted rocks for others or just a friendly smile.  We all get so bogged-down in life that this has allowed us to slow down and just be the good people we all are. Do not let people fool you – they really are good.
4. LAUGHTER truly is the best medicine. Since this whole situation has been quite stressful, Grandpa and I try to laugh every day.  Sometimes we watch a funny show or movie.  Other times we are sharing texts and meme’s with family and friends.  Sometimes it’s a funny story a co-worker has shared during a Zoom or conference call that we share just to have a good laugh.  Laughter helps you to release pent up energy and just forget about the moment. Remember to do this every day!!
5. Finally, this too shall PASS. When you are in the middle of a crisis, whether it be personal or public, it feels as though you will be in this spot forever.  Your mind cannot see an end in sight and often imagines the worst.  You will have times in your life when you can’t see past the nose on your face.   Rest assured that as difficult or unprecedented as it seems, it will end at some point. Sure, you don’t know what the end will look like, but when circumstances are out of your control, there is no amount of worry or anxiety that will create a different ending.  As hard as it may be, accept the moment that you are in, and know that you have planned for your life, it’s good to share how you are feeling, but don’t fret because people are good and above all else, laughter is the best medicine.

I hope you take these thoughts to heart and they help you throughout your life.  Every day is a new adventure, and we don’t want to be stuck being an extra in the adventure when we should be the star.

Hugs, Kisses and all my love,
Grandma Stacy

Any opinions are those of Stacy Caudill  and not necessarily those of RJA or Raymond James. The information contained in this report does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets, or developments referred to in this material. There is no assurance any of the trends mentioned will continue or forecasts will occur. Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation.

Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected.