December 6, 2024, started like every other day of the past 12 years or so, with our yellow lab, “Lil’ Bit,” (a true Southerner), watching me make coffee and prepare her breakfast, all from her dog bed. Routinely, as soon as her food bowl hit the floor, she would instantly be there, as if teleported.

But this was not just another day, as she did not appear at her feeding area. When questioned, the look on her face said it all – something was wrong. Very wrong. She wouldn’t get up, and it didn’t take long for me to realize that she couldn’t stand up. Not just wouldn’t, but couldn’t.

A trip to the Emergency Vet didn’t end well. Her rear differential, as I call it, had simply worn out. The condition is common in large dogs, and she had exhibited some signs of deterioration over the past few months. But she was always ready for her daily schedule to be repeated. It was not merely a request that we take our daily walk in the late afternoon. It is something We Did. Period. Sun, heat, rain, hurricane winds, no matter what, we walked.

This is perhaps a long introduction to my real topic of the day, which is stock market volatility. Life with Lil’ Bit was a lesson in consistency and trust. The 2025 stock market is a lesson in volatility and frustration. It is extremely difficult to watch a crashing market, especially when it outlasts one session.

In my long experience as an investor and financial advisor, I grew to understand the power of long-term investing. In the period since Reagan began his 8-year stint in the White House, up until now, the Dow-Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) rose from under 1,000 to well over 40,000. That did not happen in a straight line. Think about the Crash of 1987, the attacks of 9/11, the 2008 Financial Crisis, and a host of other event-driven downturns.

In the market, making carefully planned and long-term investment choices generally begets desired results, absent emotion-driven activity. Sometimes, that requires education, patience, and maturity. In the four market days ended last Tuesday, wild drops caused many people to panic-sell. Wednesday proved that to be a bad idea when the trading session produced an unlikely Top Ten All-time up day. Selling into that would have been disastrous. Who knew?

Lil’ Bit had learned to expect consistency, which made for a wonderful and fulfilling experience for both of us. Similarly, being consistent in your market behavior pays off handsomely in the end. Prepare, and don’t panic.

Every afternoon since December 6, I have “walked the dog” at the same approximate time. Without the dog. But with consistency and great memories. I will never forget Lil’ Bit. Do the same with your long-term investments. They will reward you over time.