Carpe Diem to All

One of the most rewarding aspects of working at TaxResources is getting to work with our Members and learning about their lives and interests. Our Members represent a great cross section of humanity throughout the United States, and they all seem to have a unique perspective on life. It is fun to hear about their experiences, and it feels good when we are able to diffuse the apprehension they feel when they receive an audit notice. It’s great to celebrate when we get a positive outcome for them, and we’re also there to commiserate when it turns out the IRS is right and they owe money.

When a Member returns for help a second or third time, it can feel like reuniting with an old friend. The following was an experience I had recently:

I was assigned an Arkansas Department of Revenue audit. When I reviewed the file, the taxpayer’s name and place of residence seemed familiar. I called him and discovered that about three months earlier I had handled a federal notice for him.

A client I’d helped a few years ago - who was also a post-octogenarian - had once told me that “any day I wake up is a great day.” This member, a very spry and lucid 94 year-old, was of a similar demeanor. He always greeted me with “carpe diem,” and seize the day he did. His daughter told me that he was still very active and upbeat, despite losing his spouse six months earlier.

On the occasion of our last conversation for his federal notice, I remembered that he had been celebrating his 94th birthday. So I reminded him of that and asked if for his 95th birthday he would go skydiving like George H.W. Bush had done on his 85th birthday. Without missing a beat, he said “Naw, I’m going to Hooters.”

My only hope is that as I get older, my attitude will be one tenth as positive his. Carpe Diem to All!