My late grandfather was fortunate as a high level government employee (Engineering background, appointed to USDA) in that he contributed to both a pension plan and had enough leftover which could be invested in the stock market. He was big in index funds back in the 80s and one of those stocks that he put a portion of his portfolio is VERY well known tech sector stock today and after investing in them in the 90s, let’s just say that my grandmother and my family live relatively comfortably. Not obscenely rich, I wouldn’t even consider us rich. However we are debt free and able to afford to go on vacations without breaking the bank.

My grandfather was always a humble person who didn’t like to talk to much about what he did to earn his success. He was more the type of person to ask you about your story instead.

But, I guess it was a side effect of chemotherapy in his later years that caused a slight personality change. Not a negative one but he just would offer random advice and would explain his own experience and success from such advice and it would come off kind of like bragging sometimes.

He seemed way more openly proud of his life success at the end of his life, much more so than he did before the cancer diagnosis. Then again, it perhaps was probably the joy of an old man who knew he was dying but was able to look back on his life and realize he was satisfied and content with no regrets.