Because It

Money.

Is it the root of evil, or as Ellen, my wise younger sister, once said about our shared childhood horde of dollar bills:

“They are green. and white, and meant to be spent”

However, It was also once considered déclassé to discuss it,

If you had it, rude to mention it

If you didn’t have it, poor form to admit it.

Yet it was always there, simmering and bubbling beneath the topic of polite conversation.

Now, suddenly without too much warning, it has become the topic du jour.

It erupts at dinner parties, and is a chronic concern if or when making plans.

It is palatable when choices are available and obvious in all or any important decisions.

Songs were written about it, some in jest, but often more tongue in cheek.

Many of us pretended not to worry about it.

Now we have no choice

As the topic hangs in the air, invisible, but lethal and threatening and promising revenge if ignored.

And indeed times have changed since as a very very young woman, I foolishly said,

“Money doesn’t matter.”