Summary

The website content discusses the uncertainty and conditional nature of future plans and commitments, reflecting on how various "ifs" impact personal and family life during times of uncertainty, such as the pandemic.

Abstract

The article titled "If, If, and If" delves into the prevalent use of conditional statements in everyday life, particularly during uncertain times. The author reflects on the commonality of single, double, and even triple conditions (ifs) that must be met before making decisions or commitments, whether it's for family activities, financial planning, or career-related choices. The pandemic has amplified this, making future plans more contingent than ever. The author illustrates this with examples from personal life, such as the possibility of buying a car for his daughter, fixing the house, or visiting graduate schools with his son, all of which are dependent on factors like job security, stimulus funds, and health. The article underscores the complexity of decision-making in a world where nothing seems certain.

Opinions

The author acknowledges that many decisions in life are contingent upon various factors, often beyond one's control.
The pandemic has introduced additional layers of uncertainty, making people more cautious and reliant on conditional planning.
Financial stability, such as job security and receiving expected funds like a longevity bonus or stimulus money, is a significant factor in the author's decision-making process.
Family priorities, such as supporting a child's education or addressing a spouse's requests, are important but must be balanced with financial and health considerations.
The author expresses a sense of resignation to the reality of conditional living, accepting that many plans are tentative and subject to change based on circumstances.
There is an underlying concern for the well-being of family members, especially in the context of the pandemic, which influences the author's planning and decision-making.
The author questions the reader's ability to navigate the current crisis, suggesting that everyone is grappling with similar uncertainties and conditional scenarios in their lives.

If, If, and If

The First If

With so many things in my life, my reply is “if, if, and if.”

Is it the same with you?

The first “if” is nearly a given.

Your child asks you for something or to do something. “Sure,” you reply. “If I can finish this project…” “If you clean your room” and “If it does not cost too much.”

Discussing a project at work, I answer my boss that, yes, I think this will happen “if” something else does. I will contact this person “if” that one turns me down or does not get back to me in a timely fashion.

I may just continue investing this coming Friday “if” the market does not make me too jittery.

It’s hard to answer many things without at least one “if.”

Two Ifs

Two “ifs” are fairly common. Only slightly less than just one.

If I finish this project and if you clean your room, I will drive you to your friend’s house today.

If I can get the afternoon off and if it is a nice day, we can go to the beach.

If it is not raining and if you finish your homework, we can go for a bike ride.

If we are all in good health and if the four of us can agree on a restaurant, we can order take-out dinner from there.

If I can get vacation time and if we can all get a week off at the same time, we can go on a family vacation this summer.

It is hard for a highly engaged family of four to be able to do something at the same time together during most of the school year, but we can “if and if.”

If, If, and If

With the high degree of uncertainty of things these days, I continually find myself thinking or saying the dreaded triple-If.

This past weekend, all three of my immediate family members posed things that they wanted to do or obtain over the summer, assuming that the pandemic is behind us and the four of us survive it relatively unscathed. Those are all “ifs.”

Will we be helping our daughter obtain a vehicle?

Maybe. If I remain gainfully employed and if my employer pays out the longevity bonus that I would have rather written about after collecting it then wondering if I will get it and if I do not feel the ax falling, then “maybe.”

Will I pay to fix the many things around our house that my wife would like us to and that are long overdue?

Maybe. Again, if I remain gainfully employed and if we receive our $2,900 in coronavirus stimulus funds as I expect and if we do not have any other major unexpected expenses, then “maybe.”

Will I be visiting potential graduate school destinations with our son?

Maybe. He plans on taking a gap year to continue building up his musical repertoire before embarking on graduate school, but our daughter is currently completing her third year of high school and, thus, takes precedent. Back when our son was a junior and early in his senior year of high school, we visited eight schools in three states together before he selected the college that he attends.

I may take him to visit some graduate schools once again if I can remain gainfully employed and if I can take some additional time off beyond visiting schools with our daughter and if I can afford some extra traveling expenses. If, if, and if.

Will I continue Paying Ourselves First as I swore to do several years ago and have not stopped doing yet?

If, if, and if.

Will we be able to continue our middle-class suburban lifestyle?

Will my family recoup some of the massive losses in the value of our investments which are only “paper losses” at this time?

Should I continue Paying Myself First and paying my wife, too, on every payday?

Will we finally fix some of the many things that need fixing in our home?

Should I buy an additional vehicle now that we are soon to have two additional drivers in the family?

Will I survive the mass of layoffs coming in this down economy?

Will my mother’s and my father-in-law’s health hold up during this pandemic?

Will I be able to take care of my wife, children, and Baby (my Morkie) throughout this crisis? Will I be able to take care of myself?

What about you?

Are you going to make it through this? Are you going to continue investing or start investing now that prices are lower than before?

Are you going to be laid off? Are you the person, like my brother, contemplating how to continue paying your own employees? Are you going to finally start your own business like you have been dreaming of? Or a side hustle?

We both know the answer.

The answer is “maybe” and “if, if, and if.”