A slam as a poetic prelude !

A question of money?

Funny thing, money.

You know, you never really think about it at first.
As a kid, it’s lights that go off quicker to save electricity.
It’s coats you keep wearing just a little longer.
It’s a house you love… but that weighs on Mom’s shoulders.

And me?

I grew up in that dream: too big, too cold, too expensive.
Condroz, Belgium. A massive house, full of memories… and bills.
After my parents separated, Mom fought hard.

She fought so we could hold on, so we could still dream a little.
But it meant sacrifices.
Winters spent studying under three blankets.
Ice-cold showers that woke me up better than coffee ever could.
And simple meals: bread, butter.

Always the same tune, but always love.

Then came university.

Too many numbers, not enough money.

So, I worked.
To help pay my fees. To pay for my dreams.
Dad, on the other hand, was an entrepreneur.
So much talent, so many projects… so much struggle.
By 16, I had sworn I would never be like him.

No, thanks. Too much stress. Too many sleepless nights counting what you don’t have.

And yet…

Life takes you exactly where you said you wouldn’t go.

First jobs, first budgets: managing hundreds of thousands of euros, no safety net.
Then came projects, training sessions, and a house of my own.
Well, not really.
Because, you see, even when you earn well, you quickly realize money slips away.

Just as easy as water running through your fingers.

And then, I became a mother.

Alone.

Well… not quite.
A different kind of budget, a different kind of exhaustion.
Being an engineer and a manager, working in a world that insists on going faster and faster…
And having to slow down because a little one depends on you.

Money is strange.

It follows you everywhere.

In the dreams you had as a child.
In the responsibilities you have as an adult.
In your brother’s struggles, as he lacks liquidity for his business.
In the silence of a friend trying to save the family company after the crisis.
It’s there, in their stories.

It’s there, in yours.

And then one day, you think.

You tell yourself it could be different.
That financial literacy should be for everyone.
That your mom’s dream of seeing you succeed is also the dream of so many others.

So, you want to share.
Not to show off. Nor to lecture.
But because together, it’s easier.
Rose or Finance is a bit of that.
It’s a space to learn, and understand.

It’s for you. For me. For us.

Because in the end…

Money isn’t the goal.
It’s just a means.

What’s your story with money?

This slam is just a prelude, an invitation to reflect, share, and act.

💬 Share your experiences in the comments! What are your successes, your challenges, your dreams?