CHAPTER 12

The Gift of Learning

EDUCATION PLANNING

Ultimate Advice

Jason Stevens shares a revelation in The Ultimate Gift: “The desire and hunger for education is the key to real learning.”

Amy Skogstrom, managing editor at Automobile magazine said, “When someone asks me what car I’d buy if cost were no object, I pretty much always say the 911.” Ms. Skogstrom is referring to the Porsche 911, the iconic sports car to best all sports cars. I can remember, as a boy too young to even drive, having one of those hypothetical daydreams as I thumbed through a magazine of sports cars, picturing a wealthy philanthropist walking up to me and saying, “Hey kid, I’ll buy you any car in that magazine—the cost is no object.” In that recurring daydream, I too have always answered, “the 911.” There’s just something about it. But alas, when it comes to automobiles, cost is an issue, so I’ll not be parting with the $135,000 required to buy the 500 horsepower, 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo, which travels from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds.

There are very few things in life for which we could actually say money is no object. The health and welfare of my family is the first that comes to mind. But even then, I confess that I certainly have allowed money into my decision-making process. I have, for instance, chosen a pediatrician who is in my health insurance network. Is there a better pediatrician who may offer a concierge medical service independent of insurance hassles? Possibly, but I ...

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