I wrote about 'slippery slopes' back on October 15th. It seems that things have gotten progressively worse since then. We are, if we permit it, deluged with bad news. That can take a real toll on us if we permit.
I know it isn't happening this often, but seemingly I read about another 'intervention' on a daily basis. This morning I learned that you and me have bailed out Citibank with $20 billion of our dollars and more to follow that in the form of protecting that company against some $300 billion of bad investments.
We have been pummeled over the subject of the 'big three' automobile companies and what it is we need to do for them and their employees. This one particularly hits home since we have relatives who could be adversely affected depending upon what is or isn't done.
We know people who have had significant losses in the stock market over the past several months. Obviously the word 'significant' has a different meaning to each of us. If we had a million dollars and lost half, that would be 'significant'. If we had five hundred dollars and lost half of that, that would be just as significant if not more so, as I suspect you'd agree.
I read about our president-elect and a new multi-hundred billion dollar 'bail out' program that he wants ready for his signature by the time he is sworn in as our next president. I read about the price of turkeys being higher this year. Thanksgiving Day is upon us and I imagine that many are questioning what it is they have for which to be thankful. Even though we live in the greatest time in history and in 'the land of plenty', we sometimes seem to have problems finding things for which to be thankful.
It really seems that we have to search for our daily dose of "feel good". Yes; I do believe that we need some "feel good" daily or we risk becoming deadened to the things about us that are good. Some of us find that dose of "feel good" in the scriptures; some of us find it in the beauty of nature; some of us find it in the kind words of a friend; some of us find it in the giggles of a youngster; some of us find it in books or art or music; some of us find it in the warmth of the touch of a loved one; some of us find it having done a good deed for another.
Some of us, on the other hand, feel good only if we're able to buy things, or if we can dine at the best restaurants, or if we can sip an expensive wine each day, or if we can feel superior to a neighbor because our house is bigger, or our automobile is larger and more expensive.
In our present economic situation, it will be much easier to find our daily "feel good" if we can do that in a non-economic sense. It isn't always easy to make that transition; I know that from having been on both sides of this equation. But, it is well worth the effort that is required. Some of us will find ourselves learning or re-learning how it is to live on less; some of us have already begun that learning process. Very few of us will be able to avoid some level of 'less' during this period in our nation's history.
But, we don't have to go without that daily dose of "feel good".
