Yesterday dear husband and I closed on a commercial property. It was quite a different experience than a residential mortgage. More paperwork, more phone calls, more problems. The closing does not mark the end of this experience, there is still much to do; but at least that part is done.
Living in a small town is interesting. Everyone in the community becomes family and you do what you can to support them. Friends become family, businesses become family. We have always tried to do what we could to support our local businesses. I have often complained about our bank, they never can seem to find a teller capable of doing her job correctly. My insurance agent is more than capable, but I could go elsewhere for better rates. My financial advisor told me once, "I have to do the best that I can for my clients because I bump into them at the grocery store".
This is where these stories merge. In seeking a loan to purchase this property, I first called our bank. Much of it was done over the phone and there was never a question of whether or not they would finance us. They know us well and the bank manager was the one who caught my bouquet at our wedding. Long history.
Having to complete so much for this loan, left me, shall we say, mentally short. I did not even consider speaking to my insurance agent about INSURING the new property. I'm embarrassed that I forgot. I was literally on my way to closing yesterday when I remembered and called him immediately. His response was "okay, give me a few minutes and I'll call you back". He did exactly that. He temporarily placed the building on another policy of ours and said "this is what we will do for now. Not really suppose to, but, you're covered, don't worry".
I have over the years, checked into other banks and insurance agents. With my husbands business both of these are vital, daily functions that we need and use. But I always felt that it would be a betrayal to use someone else. This experience showed me that commitment means everything. When you wholeheartedly commit to someone or something, the benefits come back to you. Whether they be business or personal, good comes from that belief structure.
Last night I sat down and asked myself where ALL of my commitments lie. My God, my husband, my children, my extended family, my church, my blog. Is everything in the correct order? No, it's not. I'm hoping that God takes this opportunity to re-teach me and place everything where it belongs. My greatest hope for my life is to appreciate and love everyone the Lord has given me. I do not want to betray any of them just as I decided along time ago not to betray my business contacts.
Where do your loyalties lie? It's always a good idea to ask ourselves that every now and then.
Posted by Stacy at July 15, 2005 09:06 AM | TrackBack