"After reading Andrea Bulen’s blog post, Why Do I Need a Financial Advisor?, a message to those considering a relationship with a financial planner, has prompted memories of my fifteen-year journey with Shakespeare.

I clearly remember my initial conversation with Kevin. We met in his modest office off Sunnyslope Road in Brookfield. I had been referred by a close friend, who actually did this same work. I had asked this friend to refer me to someone like him, that I could trust. I didn’t want the emotional complications of money to invade our friendship.

I came away from this first meeting with Kevin confident that he not only would take care of my money but that he would take care of me. I was 65 years old at this time. (This reveals my current age to the thoughtful reader). Using the “sandwich generation” paradigm, I saw myself then as the meat between two slices of bread. My mother was in the final stage of dementia. My husband, who had been Superintendent of New Berlin Schools had suffered a stroke. This man who had kept meticulous records and managed impressive budgets now could neither add nor subtract. I did not, honestly, see myself as incompetent. I expected I could get some advice and forge ahead. But it would be hard to find words to describe the weight that was lifted from my shoulders when I learned the role Shakespeare could play in my story.

My primary advisor has been Andrea Bulen, CFP®. Over these years she has held my hand as I have transitioned from the meat in the sandwich to the bottom slice of bread. That in itself is a journey. When economic “news” delivers fear to my door, Andrea reminds me that Shakespeare has anticipated these changes and we have a plan in place. When my POA for Healthcare and the Executor of my Will needs an update, Andrea is there to guide me. She knows my family, my friends, and my spiritual convictions. Together we meet with an attorney and draft a document that reflects who I am. When I am shocked at the price of tooth- paste, Andrea reminds me that I don’t need to cut the empty tube open in order to scrape the inside for one more brushing. She encourages me to follow my dreams, being excited with me as I share travel plans for anther adventure.

I am grateful for Andrea’s blog post. I would encourage you to read it and read it again. Know that she is not speaking hypothetically but rather describing the reality that I have lived. We will all, if we are blessed with longevity, move from the top slice of bread to the meat and then to the bottom slice. God has promised in His word that He will replace the lonely in a family. I thank Our Lord Jesus Christ that Shakespeare is family to me!"

- Roselyn