Kite-Flying to a Happier Life

As I sat on the balcony, I watched the neighborhood kids and their guardians flying colorful kites in the sky. The lock-down has birthed a new tradition around here – Kite Flying.

Every afternoon my adjacent neighbor and his grandson sit out and carefully craft a kite from scratch. Sometimes it is built from old gift wraps and other times from plastic shopping bags. Each one is different from the last and the little boy is thrilled as ever each time.

At 5 PM without a minute of delay the little boy, constantly tugging his grandfather’s hand takes him to the roof top. The little boy helps launch the kite into the sky and the grandfather teaches him how to fly their latest creation with a steady hand. This never fails to bring a smile on my face. The kite soars higher and higher and child’s joy knows no bounds.

For the past few days during the lock-down, this has become a routine in my neighborhood. I too run up to my terrace to look at them flying high in the evening winds. Each building has at least one person either flying a kite or looking up at them. At the end of the day there are some that are still flying, others that are caught between cables and water tanks and some that have been cut loose by the wind and slowly going out of sight.

I have been an Independent Financial Advisor since 2008 and I assist my clients in choosing the right investment through need based assessment, the right advice and hassle-free claim assistance. Each experience enriches me with a new learning and always fills me with new vigor to go back to my clients and prospects with a refined perspective and approach.

We find ourselves in stubborn times, identifying ways to keep our creativity flowing like kite flying helps keep our minds fresh and emotions balanced. You would wonder why I chose to write about kite flying, very much like the Kite and the person flying it, kite flying and financial planning – adequate insurance is connected by a strong thread.

If the kites are flying high, everybody is happy. People who have done their financial planning and have proactively taken measures to keep emergency funds at hand are like these people with kites soaring in the sky with strong threads and a steady hand. They are prepared, have a stable backup and are ultimately under the least amount of stress

Kites that are struggling, connected by a weak thread or are stuck between cables are like people who took the backseat and put off financial planning for another day by falsely assuring themselves that it is not a priority and that there is another time for it. They are the ones that are under a significant amount of anxiety at this time

Loved ones of those who have lost their precious lives without leaving any financial security for them are the most affected in these times

So, a big question to ask ourselves here is – Where do I stand?

Have I made a provision to tackle the expenses over the next six months?
Have I secured the health of self, family and aged parents with a basic health plan?
Is my life covered for at least 20 times my annual income? If the thread of my life is broken, can my family cope with the financial loss?

If the answer to any of these above questions is “No”, then please - Pause, Re-evaluate and Take Quick Action!