Freedom after 25 years of hard work

One day, I was looking for my manager in the Luxury furniture store I used to work at. I needed help resolving an issue with an order. I found her in the office, both hands covering her face and shaking. I hesitated for a moment while her shoulders danced up and down. When I finally knocked on the opened door, she didn't even react. I walked a couple steps and she was startled. She grabbed a tissue from her desk and wiped her eyes and nose. Her eyes were still blood red and dark. She had been crying. Before I could ask anything related to the help I needed, she said. "I'm leaving."

H.D Buttercup was a furniture store housed in the landmark Helms Bakery in Culver City, California. This store catered to people who had more money than sense, and Hollywood studios renting exotic furniture for their movies. On a good day, you would meet two or three Hollywood A-listers. I still remember the hundreds of furniture that were put aside for The Last Airbender movie that was never picked up.

Ronda was the warehouse manager, she had worked in the business for 25 years, 10 of those being at H.D buttercup. Her office walls had pictures of her and the crew looking much younger. One picture that she often talked about was taken without her knowledge. On it she was building a large office desk all by herself. She had a 14 year old daughter, and a complicated marriage.

"I'm leaving. I love you guys, but I'm leaving." After saying that, she felt relieved and even smiled.

"What do you mean you are leaving?" I asked, feeling privileged to be the first to know.

"They made me an offer. I just can't turn it down." she continued.

"Who made you an offer? What are you talking about? Are you trying to abandon us?" I said playfully to downplay the situation.

"I'm fifty. This is my chance." A tear rolled down her eyes.

I understood that this was very serious. 10 years is a long time. Seeing the same people everyday for this long turns them from co-workers to family. When I joined the company, I was broke and was trying to support my family. I worked full time, and crammed enough classes in my 2 days off to be a full time student as well. If I wasn't at school, I was at work. If I wasn't at work, I was at school. I was making 9 dollars an hour. Or close to $18.5K a year.

"How much did you abandon us for?" I asked finally. Instead of answering, she looked left and right to make sure no one was eavesdropping. When the coast was clear, she mouthed a number that I couldn't make out?

"What? $49?" I asked, not wanting to believe it.

"No," she looked around one more time before she said: "Forty nine and a half thousand."

That was almost 3 times the amount I was making. With $49.5K in the 2000s, my life would be completely different. After 25 years in an industry, this is what she was entitled to. I remember thinking "Holy Shit."

After talking with me, her burden was lifted. She had a permanent glow on her face until we cut her cake and bid her farewell.

I got lucky. I dropped out of school, and followed a career as a web developer, I was hired at $37.5K. What seemed like a large amount, was stretched thin with the responsibility that came with it. In 3 years, my salary increased to 72k. Before I knew it, another company decided to pay me 6 figures allowing me to make more than the median wage in California.

Looking back, $49,500 seemed like a fortune to me at the time. It was a number that could change a life. Or at least provide the hope of a new chapter, as it did for Ronda. Today, I make more than I could have ever imagined when I was earning $9 an hour. Yet, that first six-figure salary didn’t feel as life-changing as I thought it would. The responsibilities scaled up with the income, and the thrill of reaching new financial milestones was often overshadowed by the rising cost of living and the creeping realization that money alone doesn't buy peace of mind.

The truth is, the value of money isn’t just tied to inflation or the economy. It’s about timing, context, and what we truly need at a given moment. For Ronda, $49,500 wasn’t just a number. It was freedom after 25 years of hard work. For me, my first $37,500 job wasn’t wealth, it was opportunity. Today, even as salaries grow larger, it feels like they cover less ground.

It makes me wonder: is the value of money really shrinking, or are we just endlessly chasing something we think will finally make us whole? Maybe the lesson isn’t just about how far $50K could take you in 2008 versus today, but about recognizing the moments when what you have is enough, and the courage to take the leap when it’s not.

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