On The Move
I want to share with you a life update and a thought I had while moving our belongings from one big city to a small coastal town 1500Km away.
A few weeks ago, my partner and I relocated to a small beach town called Laurieton in the Biripi Country of NSW for the next four to five months. After that, we’ll be moving to Barcelona for a while to reconnect with my culture, family and friends.
While on the road, my partner and I had this conversation:
Ok, I know we don’t have kids, but we do have nieces and nephews and I was thinking of how to make a difference in someone’s life. Here are some thoughts:
I called our Super fund and asked if it was possible to open an account for a newborn baby, and the answer is yes. The account is under your name and the baby’s name until they have a legal age to work and own it. You’ll see two accounts on your Super, and can make contributions only.
Working out a compound interest of 7.5%, if you contribute $20 per week, by the time your child has turned 60 years old, your contributions sum up a total of $58K and the funds in your child’s Super (60-year-old child) will be nearly one million dollars.
I haven’t read the Barefoot Investor for Families yet, and maybe all parents in Australia already know this, but to me it’s a pretty mind blowing thought to consider, if you want to make a significant impact in someone’s life.
The last two months have been busy getting ready for the moving, and settling in a new environment very different from Rotson Studios. For a little while, I am trading culture by nature and reflecting on the last two years in Australia.
I’m currently writing you from our new temporary location with my heart full of gratitude for everything I have, including massive green trees and a hundred types of birds in every direction.
My heart is also aching from the recent news about the Russian invasion over the Ukraine, and my thoughts are with all its people. I recently listened to an interview with Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh where he talks about deep listening as a tool to solve conflicts between countries, families and beyond. Listening to Thay is a 20-min warm shower for the heart.
This article was part of my latest newsletter called “March 2022: On The Move”
PS: After I sent this email newsletter, one of my subscribers pointed me to the Aboriginal concept of “Dadirri” or deep listening. You can learn more about it here.
