3. Pay with grace

Dear Marlowe,

When I was a teenager we had a neighour called Pete. He was a successful entrepreneur of retirement age, and I’d often sit with him in his garden while he regaled me with entertaining stories and anecdotes. 

The only one I can remember, and it has always stuck with me, is this: “When you have to pay, pay with grace.”

People are sensitive about money. It can easily cause relationships to collapse, friends to fall out, business partners to argue — the list goes on.

An easy way to avoid conflicts over money is simply to pay with grace. Whether you’re running a business and must pay a supplier, have borrowed money you must return, or any other transaction, do not mess people around over money. When you have to pay, pay with grace.

Love,

Dad

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Letters to Marlowe is a personal project to pass on valuable life advice to my son.

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