A Frugal Hero
Sitting with Dear Friend, enjoying the view of Pennsylvania hills massed with lush and large green leafed trees, our conversation was filled with memories. Family and I were on a trip to the East Coast, and had some precious moments to visit with this woman. Alzheimer’s, seeking to steal this incredible, fascinating mind, had left remnants strong and clear. She remembered us and was thrilled at our visit!
A child of the Depression, Dear Friend was truly a frugal hero. Even now in later years, the choice of modest living was still her mantra. Her abode was simple and well cared for. With nature to observe and pictures of loved ones close, Dear Friend was content.
A childless couple, Dear Friend and her husband had traveled many a country and 49 states. She regaled our minds, just as many times before, with tales of the past and her trips abroad. Now a widow for 30 years, frugality was not a choice of necessity for this Dear Friend. Few knew, she could be living like a queen if she so desired.
Chuckling to myself, I recalled those many years ago, when Dear Friend was child-watching for me. Returning home, I discovered she had found a half eaten box of cereal in my trash and had resurrected such, to my chagrin. Sheepishly confessing that I had lost sight of said box and that now the contents were no longer edible, I again placed the box in the trash. I learned to be more careful with my cereal! Yes, we had some funny stories about Dear Friend. We also learned to check dates on any food gifts she might give us and, yes, she might have been called a bit eccentric. But the lessons learned from this frugal hero were many.
Generous beyond compare, she chose to live a simple life and gave away to her favorite charities and organizations more than she ever spent each year upon herself. Always seeking to be a good steward of all the Lord had blessed her with, Dear Friend’s example blazed upon my life. People were her joy, and possessions only important for how they could be used in service to others.
Hugging this grandmother of the heart to my children, I said goodbye. We may never meet again on this earth, but I will carry her legacy with me forever. She is and always shall be, my frugal hero.
Do you have a frugal hero?
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4 Responses to “A Frugal Hero”
June 25th, 2010 at 1:10 am
What a beautiful post!
I have shared before about my own mother’s frugality, which sometimes seemed extreme to us because we never knew (until I was in my 40s) that she was trying to feed us in the face of our father’s extreme profligacy. She’s a frugal hero.
The young couple who took us aside when my husband joined the military and told us quite seriously about how easy it was for a young military couple to get into debt, and how hard it was to get out- they are frugal heroes.
My husband’s grandmother, who, when somebody tossed a bag of dirty cloth diapers on her property, laundered them over and over until they were snowy white and smelled fresh and clean, and then gave them to me to use with my new baby- she’s a frugal hero.
And you.=) Even though we’ve never met, I am so inspired and touched by your posts.
June 28th, 2010 at 8:58 am
My frugal hero?
Mom, who managed to raise me with the impression that ziplock bags, paper towels, hair conditioner, a/c, and pillows were luxuries rather than necessities.
July 1st, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Kim, you had me right up until pillows.=)
October 8th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Hello! that story inspires me!
My mother is very similar … we are blessed to live in a town with a large, thriving thrift shop. We donate every day.. today i donated a large box of robot toys… art supplies and useful electrical cables, cords etc.
They were uselessly taking up space in my closet. But the biggest joy came from when my dad asked “couldn’t the neighbor’s son use some of these toys?”
I hadn’t thought of that… so i walked them over. His dad was flabbergasted at all of them… star wars… transformers… gi joe… (I am a compulsive collector of these things) I felt that i have a few that i really cherish… but many were spur of the moment purchases… now filling up space, again, in the closet.
My mom and dad teach me to behave like this. That is why i Googled how to live thriftily (my goal is 1000$ a month, rent included) i eventually came upon thrifty heroes.
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