I always love getting your feedback on my Sunday memos, and last week’s responses were exceptional. Thank you to all who shared! The article talked about the greatest investment that we can make is an investment in “connection, and knowing people have your back. … If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in what truly matters: each other.”

My favorite response was from Kim P. who shared the memo with her friends as they sat around a dinner table. They talked about hygge and having an open-door policy with dinners. As a follow-through, three of them shared a happy hour the next day. I was genuinely touched.

I also must admit that I had to look up the word “hygge.” Pronounced “hooga,” it was the 2016 Danish word of the year that translates to coziness and comfort. But it’s more than just that, it’s encompassing a sense of well-being and contentment achieved through simple pleasures and togetherness.

It’s rough to pick up a newspaper these days. There is a lot of talk about a divided country and a looming recession. Let’s not forget that the job of the press is to “make news,” and doom sells best. I suspect there is a recession on the horizon. It’s part of the economic cycle; we just don’t know when it will hit us. Recessions are a time to cut back financially. And may we do this next one with lots of hygge.

I wish you coziness and well-being,

Barbara

PS If you would like to share these memos with friends, please let me know. I would love to add them to this list.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the investment company carefully before investing. The prospectus and, if available, the summary prospectus contain this and other important information about the investment company. You can obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus from your financial representative. Read carefully before investing.