In 1985, I watched the classic Out of Africa movie with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.  She played a wealthy Danish woman who came to Kenya and fell in love with a professional game-hunter.  By the end of the movie, she had lost her wealth, and he had lost his life.  A sad love story, the film nonetheless won seven Academy awards.

In 1988, I earned my certification as a financial planner.

For some odd reason, I wanted to see the movie again last night but saw it this time through the eyes of a long-time financial planner.  Instead of seeing a wealthy Danish woman, I saw a hopeless romantic, who wanted to plan everything in detail, including her love life.  Instead of seeing an impossibly handsome professional game hunter, I saw an unstructured vagabond this time, who lived only for the day, abhoring any long-term planning.

Instead of seeing star-crossed lovers this time, I saw a couple with different planning needs.

How do you reconcile these different planning needs?  While not very romantic, it is essential to talk about the need to plan.  How do you tell your kids to find a mate who is a good financial planning candidate?  Well . . .  good luck on that!