I Just Wrote My First Check of the Year
November 4, 2008
File this in the “Department of Useless Trivia,” but this morning a man came by to repair the gas heating system in our fireplace. Because Marlene is at her Explorer’s Bible Study, I met the man and chatted with him while he cleaned the unit and got it in good working order. When I wrote him a check in payment, it occurred to me that this is the first time all year I’ve actually written a check from our checkbook.
No kidding.
This is November 4, and I haven’t even used the checkbook all year long. Partly that’s because Marlene handles the finances in our family (she’s far better at it). But it’s also a reflection on the change in our society not only to a “cashless” system but to a “paperless” system. We do almost everything electronically these days.
Not sure what to make of that, but it seems significant somehow. Thirty years ago I wrote checks all the time. Now I’ve written my first one in 2008.
Clearly there is no going back to the old system. I can remember when men always carried around big wads of cash with them. I know some still do. I’m thinking of a dear friend (now in heaven) who would pull out a big wad of bills, which he would peel off one by one. I always felt better when I was with him. I like being around people with cash—mostly because at the moment I have exactly six $1 bills in my wallet. But no big deal. I can go to the ATM any time I like.
From cash to checks to electronic banking.
Even as I write this, I think this means something important. Not sure what it is. I need to ponder this some more.