Sometimes when someone listens to the radio, sometimes it is background noise; other times there are exciting or relatable ideas. On a radio station which was on in the car, an interviewer was talking to the founder of StoryCorps founder David Isay whose company interviews people who talk about their lives. In many cases it is people who are older, the interview is an ability to capture some of their life experiences and it is possible to give the recording to their children and grandchildren. Thinking about it, my grandparents died when I was young, which means as I get older I have asked my uncles and aunts about them. My generation did not go to war, theirs did. What did they think? what life experiences of long marriages did they want to pass on? As we move into the holiday seasons – if you spending time with older people, including your relatives, ask them about their life experiences. Similarly a book called What I Have Learned So Far …  by Paul Bates and Al Emid, Knowledge Bureau, Winnipeg, Manitoba 2010. The authors interview people about their lives and outlines some of the lessons they have learnt along the way. Most people are not perfect, we have all made mistakes and hopefully learned things along the way. Many people, if you let them, will tell you stories to help you. The people dealt with winning, debt, disease, conflict, marriage or regular life.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, the typical owner of dividend paying stocks is older in years. Buying them is to learn one of the oldest lessons in investing – it is easier to lose money than make money. If you do not lose it, over the long term you will make more. A method to limits losses is invest in profit generating companies which pay you a dividend  and because the company makes profits, the company stock price moves up over the years.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.