FALL 2019 FARRAGUT LIFE 39
Financial literacy is the ability to understand
how money works. How someone earns or
makes it, how that person manages it and
how he or she invests it. I’ve seen firsthand
the lack of financial literacy in our country.
I’ve discovered that it doesn’t discriminate.
People from all backgrounds are lacking
when it comes to skills such as balancing
a check book, preparing a family budget,
handling debt or determining how much to
save for retirement.
I think about this a lot. Maybe it’s because
I help people make smart decisions
concerning their money or maybe it’s
because I have two daughters transitioning
into the “real” world. It’s probably a little of
both. So, I began searching for answers to
questions like “How do people learn about
money?”, “Who taught you about money?”
and “Who are you teaching about money?”
What I found was that in most cases financial
knowledge didn’t begin in a classroom or a
book. It started with someone who cared,
someone who learned the “hard” way, or
someone who was fortunate enough to have
a person in their lives that wanted more
for them. The lessons were often subtle,
introduced quietly, realized years later, and
appreciated for lifetimes.
My own experience was much the same.
I learned about how money works from
people who loved me and wanted me
to have a better life. My Pap was one of
those people. Pap was a simple man. He
didn’t read the Wall Street Journal. He only
finished the 7th grade. He drove a coal
truck and later became a mail carrier. He
never had much: a small house, a small
farm, and an even smaller bank account.
But he did have “time”. Time was his gift
to me. We spent hours on his farm putting
up hay and feeding the cows. As a five year
old, I lived for the moment he would pull
me up by my arm into his lap and let me
“drive” the tractor. Countless afternoons and
weekends were spent fishing and hunting or
sometimes just taking a long walk.
Time together allowed for what I now
affectionately call, “Lessons from Pap”.
These lessons were straight forward. He
once taught me about the downside of debt
by explaining the old expression “Never buy
anything on time”. This saying makes me
smile with its simplicity and truth. I guess
that’s why it stuck with me. If you don’t have the
cash, you don’t buy it. No matter what “it” is.
Why did my Pap take the time to teach me
these lessons in his simple, humble way?
He cared. He wanted me to learn from his
mistakes and his triumphs. He knew it was
important that I understood how money
works. He wanted my life to be full. He
wanted me to experience financial peace.
Financial literacy may always be a problem but
you can make difference. Just like my Pap.
Chris Kittrell is co-founder
and principal of Rather &
Kittrell. He is available at
ckittrell@rkcapital.com
Lessons From Pap
by Chris Kittrell
Jason Kittrell, Frank Summers, and Chris Kittrell
link