Briar’s Journey: Embracing Adulthood Through Wise Choices

You don’t even know these girls,” Briar's dad said as they approached the five-story apartment block.

“Dad” Briar replied “We went to school together, even if I don’t know them at least we’re in the same boat, we’re all not going to college this year.

“I know that, but these girls have different values than you,” the older man said gesturing toward the shiny new car and moving truck in front of the building.

“Dad, there is no competition, my values won’t change just because I'm living with them.”

Nugging her father through the large glass doors.

“Here is some money, kid, I know you want me out of your hair. I have to head back to work.”

The young ebony-skinned girl kissed her father goodbye.

This was the first time the young girl would be on her own. Since her mother passed, it's been her and her father. He worked long hours and only had enough money to cover the bills. She didn’t mind and now he had paid her first month's rent she was even more grateful. On top of that, he slipped her a thousand dollars for emergencies.

Her new freedom came at a price, but she was willing to pay. Eventually. Once she found a job.

“So guys, what are we gonna do on our first night of freedom Briar,” asked the two other young women.

“Whatever we do, it can’t be too late.” Lavender said, "I have work in the morning.”

“Work already, girl we just moved in,” Sage said

“Our parents only gave us enough money for one month's rent, and as my mom says, the first of the month comes very fast. I need to make that extra cash ASAP. We have so many bills to pay and I’m still trying to save for college.” the girl replied with the squared frame glasses.

“Lavender, you are such a nerd,” said Sage

“Yeah goody two shoes” chimed in Briar

“Not everybody can be as rich and spoiled as you, Sage.” the by-spectacled redhead said.

“My parents have money, not me,” said the long-haired raven “and I’m not split.”

Lavender rolled her eyes and continued setting up her room. Each girl had their own bedroom but had to share the commune spaces.

I was so enthusiastic about the move and also overwhelmed. Having the other girls around meant she would finally not have to spend so much time alone.

“When will you guys start looking for a job?” Lavender said from across the hall “You know that we are in a college town and all the good-paying jobs will go fast?”

Briar replied first “I’m not really sure you know my dad did leave me some money so I do have some time before I actually have to start looking”

“It’s okay, don't worry about me. I’ll think about it later.” Sage chimed in.

“Suit yourselves,” Lavender said “I’m working at Jump Burger and at the college library part-time.

“Two jobs! Girl you really need to get yourself a life or some…” The two girls said while laughing.

Lavender slammed her door on the two laughing girls.

Sage met two cute college guys while moving in and invited Briar to meet them upstairs.

Briar had never been a part of the popular crowd back in high school and was excited to hang out with Sage. They hung out all night and which caused them to wake up late the next day.

“Are you guys still sleeping?” Lavender asked as she came in from work.

“What time is it?” asked Briar, rubbing her eyes at the bright light from the open door?

“It’s 1 PM have you guys been sleeping this whole time?” Asked Lavender.

“1 o’clock wow that’s crazy. I’m so hungry. I guess I don’t have time to send out my CVs today or even to go for interviews. I am just exhausted, but we had such an amazing time yesterday. Those guys are so much fun.” Briar said, getting out of her snuggly bed.

Briar was about to start getting the somedays.

In the book The Power of Self-discipline by Brian Tracy, he explains the Someday Isles as the idea that someday, I will do a certain amount of things. He states that “probably 80% of the population lives on someday most of the time they think and dream and fantasize all about all the things they are going to do someday.”

For the next couple of weeks, Briar spent most of her time on some aisle. She did not send out any CVs. She did not go for any job interviews. To her credit, she still had the thousand dollars that her father gave her.

“Guys guess what? The guys upstairs invited us to Cancun for the long weekend. Can you believe it? I'm really excited. The cost is $500. And that will pay for the hotel, the airfare, and everything. Can you believe that deal?" Sage said dashing into the apartment. Briar and Lavender were sitting on the couch and watching humorous memes.

“Cancun!” exclaimed Briar, “I am so in”.

“No thanks, ladies. I have to work this weekend. It’s gonna pay double and you know I need the money.”

“Lavender, you’re always working. When do you ever have fun?”

“I have fun but this weekend I have to work. The rent is due in the next two weeks and I wanna make sure that I have my bases covered for when I go back to school.” said the fiery redhead.

“Why are you even thinking about school now? It’s a year away, like to have fun now and then Wurrrkkk later” Sage said, doing her best imitation of Rihanna.

“Why don’t you have enough fun for you and me, but never dance in public like that.”

“Don’t be a hate you know I have moves,” said Sage dancing even more sexy

“Girl stop, before you break a hip,” the fickle face girl said.

“What about you?” Sage turned too fast and fell on the couch. “Are you in”

“Of course,” Lisa said, standing up.

“We were just talking about sending out your CV and finally pounding the pavement to get a job, remember, Lav.”

“We can do that when we get back. You know all work and no play makes Briar a dull girl”.

So for the rest of the week, Briar gave her money for the trip. Before leaving, Sage wanted to go on a mini shopping spree so they had some nice clothes to wear to Cancun. Briar picked up a bathing suit and a couple of dresses costing her about $200 but at least she still had 300 left for her trip.

“I will make up the rest of the money when I get back,” she told herself. No more sleeping till noon, “I will be disciplined when I get back.”

The duo needed to take a taxi to the airport since Sage had three suitcases. They decide to split the cost with the guys from upstairs. Once at the airport, Briar wanted to buy a little souvenir at the duty-free to commemorate her first solo trip without her dad.

As the trip went on, Briar began to spend more money. Sage, who had the money, bought fine food and drinks at the beach club. The guys were having a ton of fun and Briar was trying to keep up, but by the last day, she had no money left. Not even enough to pay for a taxi home, but one of the guys helped her.

When they got back the rest of the group was on cloud nine, but all Briar could think about was the fact that she had no more money and how was she now going to pay rent in the next two weeks?

“Hey, guys,” said the younger one reading on the couch. “How was the trip? Did you all have fun?”

As Sage gave Lisa the play-by-play. Briar went into her room to unpack. She didn’t feel like talking.

That night Briar couldn't sleep. All she could think about was how she couldn't afford to live in this apartment anymore. What will her father say? He worked hard to make that money and she spent it all on a trip. How could she be so stupid? She then got an idea when the morning light shone through her tiny bedroom window. She would ask her roommate for the money.

Since she woke up late once again, she didn’t have a chance to send out any resumes or make any calls in the help wanted ads. She blew the day off and waited for her roommates to get back home so that she could ask for the loan.

“Hey friends” Briar began nervously “how was your day?”

The two girls looked at her suspiciously.

“What do you want,” they said in unison

“I was wondering if I could borrow about six hundred dollars until I get a job and then I would pay you guys back in full.

They stared at her like she had two heads.

“Did you just get back from a vacation? While I was here working my ass off? And you're asking me to lend you my money? You gotta be kidding me!” Lavender said.

“If you couldn’t afford the trip then you should have stayed home. And you know that the rent is on all of us if you can’t pay. This is why my parents didn’t want me to live with strangers, they are so unreliable.” Sage added

Chani started getting mad at the other girls for the complete and total lack of responsibility for the situation she was in. Was Sage not the one who invited her on the trip? Lavender works all the time, she should have extra money hanging around. She’s saving for college, doesn’t she have that money. I would pay them back.

In the book, the power of self-discipline Brian Tracy speaks about responsibility. He quotes “Most people grow up believing that if something goes wrong, someone else’s responsible. Someone else is to blame. Someone else’s guilty. Someone else is the villain, and they are the victim.”

The most important thing a person can do to improve their lives is to fully accept responsibility for their finances.

After a long period of sulking in her room, Briar decided to approach Lavender again for the money. Liavender once again told her no. But she told her about the French fable by Jean La Fontaine, La Cigale et la Fourmi. The English translation is The Cricket and the Aunt. See the story below.

In the story, the cricket plays, parties, and has fun all summer, but when it is time for winter the harvest season, he doesn’t have anything to eat or to live on, so he asks the aunt who worked all summer to collect her own harvest for help and the ant declined.

Lavender would not give Briar the money, but as a friend, she would help her get a job.

“There’s an opening at the restaurant that I’m working at,” said Lavender

“At the restaurant, you mean fast food! I don’t wanna work fast food.” the ebony-skin girl said.

“What do you mean? you don’t have any money! you cannot be choosy. I told you weeks ago to look for a job and you didn’t. So you take what you can get if they hire you, babe. If they hire you.” She replied with impatience. “They pay weekly, so you have enough time to get paid before the rent is due. Rent is just one of many costs, including power, mobile phone, clothing, and food. Did you think of that while on vacation?”

“This sucks,” said Briar. As she took in the full scoop of her situation. Getting out of this mess wasn’t going to be easy.

So, she went for the interview, even though that was the last place she wanted to work. She got the job, but the only available shift was in the mornings at 6am. To get there on time, she would have to make plans for the commute and set three alarms to wake up that early. By taking two buses, she would have to leave her house by 5 AM to get to work at 6 AM for the next two weeks. She figured that because the job paid $16 per hour, she would need to work at least 40 hours to cover her rent but not her other bills.

In the August issue of the Costco magazine article Lana Sanicher, states that “One in 4 Canadians is unable to cover an unexpected expense of $500. Young adults are among those most concerned with their finances and nearly a quarter of consumers have no savings set aside for emergencies.”

For the next couple of weeks, Briar accepted all overtime opportunities and worked at her best. The job was challenging but she kept her paycheck in mind.

“Girl you are working way too hard,” said Sage one afternoon when Briar came home from a double shift at the restaurant.

“Yeah, I bet you would say that,” replied Briar heading to the tiny kitchen. “You’ve never had to work for anything in your life. Must be nice.”

“Wow attitude much.” Said the dark-haired girl. “ Working doesn’t seem very fun, you look like shit. But I'm not going to hold that against you”. Sage said matter of factly. “Anyway, a bunch of us is heading to the new Italian restaurant that has just opened downtown. Would you like to come with us? ?”

“No thanks,” said Briar walking past Sage with the Eska water bottle in her hand. “If I can't afford something I will not participate. We don’t want to prove your parents right, now do we? Anyways, I have work in the morning.”

Briar paid her rent on time and to celebrate she and Lavender ordered pizza and watched some reruns of their favorite shows since they had Friday nights off. Briar learned that self-discipline and taking responsibility for her own mess was a part of being an adult. Saying no to something allows you to say yes to the things that are most important to you. Like paying your bills on time.

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