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Running a marathon with 30 or 40 thousand runners is chaotic – especially the start. When the gun goes off the crowd surges forward, so you better be ready to run or you’re going to get steam rolled. It’s pure emotion and adrenaline.

The stock market has been less than kind to investors these past few weeks. The Dow Jones has dropped 3.75% and the Nasdaq has fallen about 7%. Investors have reacted negatively to rising interest rates, mid-term elections, and a trade war.

Several years ago, I met with a client who was retiring from his long-time employer. He wanted to purchase a basket of stocks for growth and income. We discussed mutual funds as an alternative to owning numerous stock positions. He wasn’t aware that mutual funds could own stocks. I informed him that a mutual fund is a portal for owning stocks, bonds, or other investments.

Nebraska Football has a storied history. It’s regarded as one of the best football programs of all time. Since 1890 they’ve won 893 games, more than all but four schools, and claimed five National Championships: 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, and 1997. Three of their players have won the Heisman Trophy: Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, and Eric Crouch.

When my daughter was young we read The Monster at the End of This Book starring Grover from Sesame Street. He’s convinced there’s a monster lurking at the end of the story. He’s so sure of this that he pleads with the reader to not turn the pages. When the pages are turned he panics and freaks out, but when he arrives at the end of the book there is no monster, just Grover.

We are entering the giving season. It’s the time of year when churches and non-profits raise most of their funds because individuals wait until the last minute to give a donation. In other words, most people give from their last fruits, not their first fruits.

From November 11, 1974 to November 20, 1974 the S&P 500 fell 9.6%. It dropped because of economic uncertainty and political unrest.

Let’s explore the major themes from 1974.

In August 1974 President Richard Milhous Nixon resigned. He was the first, and only, U.S. President to resign. His resignation was a result of the Watergate scandal.

Few people like to ponder their mortality, but what if you didn’t make it home from work today? Is your estate set up to handle your passing? Is your family? If they walked into your home, would they be able to find your important documents? What would you leave behind? What are your final wishes? A sudden death may leave a lot of unanswered questions.

This past weekend my church participated in a serving project at a local elementary school. The school has a garden they use to teach their students about nature. It has vegetables, fruits, and a natural habitat with native Texas plants and trees.

Diversification or concentration? To create wealth, concentrate; To preserve it, diversify. A concentrated portfolio can produce huge gains, if you own the right stocks. Of course, if you own the wrong ones, your wealth will be wiped out. Buying the right sector, at the right time, at the right price requires multiple factors, most of which are out of your control.