Things You Cannot Save

Summary

The article discusses the concept of "saving" in various contexts, arguing that true saving is about keeping things safe rather than deferring their use.

Abstract

The author reflects on the common notion of saving, such as saving money or time, suggesting that these are not genuine savings but rather choices to allocate resources differently. Real saving, according to the author, means preserving something for safety. The article emphasizes that while we cannot truly save many aspects of our lives, such as our environment, health, or possessions, we have the power to save each other through acts of kindness, attention, and support. The author advocates for community support and interpersonal connection as the most meaningful forms of saving, highlighting the importance of human interaction and mutual aid in the face of life's uncertainties.

Opinions

The author asserts that saving money or time is a misnomer; it's actually spending on other priorities or deferring use.
Saving is redefined as keeping something safe, not merely postponing its consumption.
The article challenges the idea of saving the planet, suggesting that it's really about preserving a habitable environment for humans.
It is noted that despite our best efforts, we cannot ensure the safety of our loved ones, jobs, or possessions.
The author believes that the most impactful saving is the salvation of human lives and well-being through communal support.
There is a skepticism about external saviors, such as governments or technology, and a call to action for individuals to support one another.
The author acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining hope but expresses a cautious optimism in the power of human connection.

And things you can

Who doesn’t love saving stuff? It’s something of a national pass-time. I remember pasting Green Stamps into books for my grandmother to take back to the grocery store to save money on groceries. Every minor holiday in this country is accompanied by all kinds of sales, ways to save money. And every year as a free-lancer, I scrupulously squirreled away as much money as possible to dump into my IRA and save money on taxes.

In case you weren’t in on this one, allow me to clue you in. You do not save money. You choose to spend it on other things. For example, when I turned 59 and a half, I sucked a honking big pile of that “saved” money out of my IRA and killed my credit card debt. Man, did that feel good! Since then I’ve resumed tucking funds away in my emergency fund as Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers wisely suggests.

I suppose one could argue that some people do save money by dying and leaving behind an enormous estate but, trust me, someone’s going to spend that money.

Similarly, it is impossible to save time no matter how many earnest podcasters are showing you how to do that with all their helpful hacks (for a modest subscription fee, of course, so no saving money there, Veronica). You simply decide to do something else with that hour, something we hope is more productive than another game of Solitaire. But, hey, you do you.

Another “thing” we cannot save — but talk about saving all the time — is the planet. We say we want to save the planet but what we really want to do is save an environment that supports our habit of breathing oxygen. Big difference. And, as George Carlin so famously put it, the planet doesn’t need saving. This middle-sized rock spinning around its sun isn’t going anywhere. We might be, but the planet? She’s fine, thanks for asking.

What can we save, then?

I guess that comes down to what we mean by save, doesn’t it? The quibblers in the back row insist that you can “save” money and/or time to use it for something else. I’m a purist in this regard. If you’re using it — whatever “it” is — for something else, that ain’t saving. That’s, all in unison now, using it for something else.

To save something, in my rigid and narrow way of thinking, is to keep it safe. You disagree? That’s cool. Write your own piece.

What then can we keep safe? Here we venture onto slippery slopes and thin ice. Ready?

We can’t keep our friends and family safe. If we had any illusions about that our friend, the virus, is setting us straight in a big way. We can’t keep our jobs, our homes, our stuff safe. We can’t even keep our hopes and dreams safe. In fact, if we take a look around us there’s not much we can save at all, now is there? We can’t safe-keep our looks, our smarts, our teeth, our health, or even our ideas. We can try. We should try. But with every sensible, preventative, intelligent move we make to save all these precious things, we need to understand the futility. The day is coming when we won’t save it, whatever it is and no matter how badly we need to.

Ready for a short walk off a long pier after all that?

Understandable. Many people take that walk. And I’m thinking there are more people contemplating that walk every day. Maybe you are or have been. I have dim memories of that kind of thinking. But so far I haven’t and neither have you. I’m curious to hear your reasons.

Mine? I was saved. You heard me right. Someone saved me. Ok, more than one someone. It took a village to pull my fat out of the fire. There are many villages and chances are you’re part of one or more. You can’t save money. You can’t save time. You can’t save the planet, but you can save someone’s life. You have the power to save someone’s sanity. You can bring the light back into the eyes of someone who has given up hope.

You can do it today.

Pay attention. Someone is asking for help right next to you. If you have a buck to spare, that’ll help. But look at people. Listen to them. If you have the time, sit down and share a cuppa something. If you don’t, smile and look them in the eye.

We’re all we have. Each other. There’s no savior, no government stimulus, no new administration, no vaccine, no deus ex machina that’s coming to the rescue. Will we save each other or will we go down thinking we have to save ourselves? I’m not very optimistic, but who knows? Miracles happen every day and even an old cynic like me is ready to be convinced.

Convince me.