The Letter

Here I was once again into 2012 and as always just hanging around as I waited for the editor’s report I had commissioned from the Writer’s service.

I always try to keep to a routine and as my circumstances changed so did my routine. I had no more writing to do at the present time, but I did have some charity work to do. I had joined the finance committee of a very small local charity. They had this project that had been sitting on the drawing board for the last few years, and was going nowhere fast. It was a new disabled toilet block. My presence must have stirred their spirits because the main board agreed to finally go ahead with the fund raising that would be required to pay for it. At the same time they gave the go ahead to start building the toilets, so basically we had nine months to raise the money needed to pay for it.

I volunteered to help in raising the money by writing an official appeal letter. I had no idea how to do it, so what did I do? I researched, I took in other people’s advice and after eight weeks it was sent out. That was eight weeks of hard work.

In business when you are the boss, you take in people’s comments on a subject, formulate a plan, and then expect those around you to carry out your instructions.

Writing this letter was more like being a politician.  Everyone had their own opinions, and genders, and I had to tread very carefully. Many different people I had to keep happy with meetings here and emails flying there. The letter was rewritten more times than my manuscript. I found it so stressful it felt as if I was back at work.

After eight weeks everyone seemed happy, the letter was finished and ready to go out to the members, and locals. Then at the last minute one of the key people involved in the project, without warning, suggested some changes. These were not small changes, but basically a major rewrite with his paws all over it.

I made an executive decision. The letter went out as it was and what a success it turned out to be. Within four weeks we had raised a third of the total money required to finish the disabled toilets.

Next I would have to turn my attention to my personal finances because they were in a poor state, with little money coming in I had to make major cut backs, even more than I had already made. Every penny of expenditure would have to be accounted for and a new simple rule entered into my life. If I didn’t have the money to pay for it then I couldn’t have it. It was as simple as that.