The ROI of a "Stop-Gap" Year: Lessons from 2026
We entered 2026 with a plan. A grand reunion. Every child—from the son in the city to the daughter in Kochi and the youngest in college—meeting in one place.
The plan failed.
Instead, I found myself 200km from home, sidelined by a cold and allergies, resting in a "stop-gap" house. But in the quiet, I realized that sometimes the best "investment" isn't the one you planned—it’s the one you’re given.
Here is what this transition taught me about life, wealth, and faith.
1. The Legacy of the "Magnifying Glass"
Micah is 6. He’s in Upper KG, a "man in the making." He is fascinated by his grandmother’s magnifying glass.
His grandmother is a doctor; his grandfather, a preacher. One heals the body, the other tends the spirit. Micah’s mother—the doctor’s daughter—didn't take the degree, but she kept the DNA of care. When her husband administered my medicine this morning, I realized: Legacy isn't always a profession. It’s a perspective.
Are you looking at your life through a magnifying glass? Are you noticing the small mercies, or just the missed plans?
2. The Chennai Metric: What is "Enough"?
In 2006, I moved to Chennai for my son’s schooling. I stayed for 17.5 years. That’s where I learned a staggering statistic: 50,000+ households live on the pavements.
If you have:
* A roof over your head (even if you pay rent)
* Work that generates income
* Food on the table
You are already winning. Contentment is not the absence of ambition. You should strive for more. Earn more, live better, and take better care of your parents. But never let the pursuit of "more" blind you to the fact that you already have "plenty."
3. Rooms vs. Room
We often think we need a bigger house to be hospitable. We don't.
You can have a house with many rooms and no "room" for others. Or you can have a small house with an open heart.
True wealth is having the capacity to let your home be a resting place for someone else, even when your own plans are falling apart.
4. The "Go-Getter" Fallacy
Many people treat God—or the Universe—like a delivery app. You "knock," you "ask," and you expect the "market" to provide exactly what you ordered.
But faith is not a transaction; it’s a trust.
When your children feel like aliens or your plans dissolve, remember: The Lord is not your servant; He is your provider. He doesn't always give what you want; He provides what you actually need to face the next challenge.
The Foundation (The Scripture)
As we navigate 2026, let these truths be your anchor:
* On Priority: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." — Matthew 6:33
* On Persistence: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." — Matthew 7:7-8
* On Hospitality: "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." — Matthew 10:42
* On Presence: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." — Hebrews 13:5
Would you like me to create a visual graphic or a "quote card" featuring one of these verses for you to share?
