Knowing enough to say you don't know...

I just hired someone to help me hammer out all the details to sell my father's business. Dad left it behind when he died and since my mom doesn't want anything to do with it, it was left to me to try and sell.

All praise to God, and against all odds, we actually did find a buyer, but that turned out to be the easy part. Stocks, assets, loans, liens and something that has to be filed at the courthouse? I don't know what I'm doing. So when the guy said he can do all of it and X is his fee - well, I'm not really in a position to say no. I did feel kind of stupid when I had to shrug a lot and say "I don't know" when he asked some questions.

But at least I know enough to know I don't know - and that's why sometimes it's smart to find someone who does and pay them for their expertise.

But it doesn't make the emotional side of selling the business any easier. I left the meeting and cried all the way home. It's like the last piece of my dad - the business I watched him build and run for over twelve years - and when it's time to let go of it, it's like letting go of another piece of him. It was also one of the last few statements he made to me the weekend he died. When he realized he wouldn't live long enough to sell it, he looked at me and said, "You're gonna have to close the deal." I'd like to keep that promise if I can.

Maybe I'm just feeling melancholy because the weather outside my window is gray and dreary.

Either way, I can't tell you what a relief it was to have somebody say "I can take care of this."

Here's to getting it done.