THE HABIT OF SAVINGthat time comes, I know that I shall be able to live as well
as I ever did, on 40 percent of my income. Then I shall di-
vide the remaining 60 percent into two parts, setting aside 30
percent to pay my creditors and 30 percent for insurance and
savmgs.
If I allowed myself to feel depressed over my past, or filled
my mind with worries, I would not be capable of carrying on
the fight to redeem myself
Besides, I would be ungrateful to my Maker for having
endowed me with wonderful health all my life. Is there any
greater blessing?
I would be ungrateful to the memory of my parents, whose
splendid training has kept me anchored pretty safely to moral
standards. Slipping from moral moorings is infinitely more
serious, in the end, than slipping from the thrift standard.
I would lack appreciation for the encouragement and
support I have had in generous measure from hundreds of
businessmen and to many good friends who helped me build
a fine reputation in my profession.
These memories are the sunshine of my life. And I shall
use them to pave the way to my future achievement.
With abundance of health, unfaltering faith, unflagging
energy, unceasing optimism, and unbounded confidence that
a man can win his fight, even though he commences late in life
to realize the kind of fight he must make-is there anything
but death to stop him?297Mr. Freeman's story is the same as that which might be told by
thousands of others who save nothing, with the exception that the
amounts of their incomes would vary. The manner of living, the way
the money was spent, and why, as told in Mr. Freeman's narrative, show
the way the spender's mind works.