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Don't give into economy fears
Like some of you, I spent this week and last week with a wary eye on the stock market.
The roller-coaster ride of the market was intriguing to watch. Wild swings of hundreds of points in just a few hours seemed to be the norm. And now the Dow is down to numbers that haven’t been seen in almost a decade.
For a while I was starting to get nervous, anxious and even a little depressed as I thought about the small amount of money my family has in the market. (I have an old 401K that’s 100 percent in an S&P index fund. It’s losing money faster than a sailor on shore leave.)
As I was wallowing in my self pity, I decided to get out of my funk by thinking of the good things in my life.
I have a wife, children and extended family who love me. I have a roof over my head. I have food to eat. I have a job that I enjoy. I have friends. I live in a great community full of wonderful people.
I know there will likely be tough times ahead. Some are saying that we’re on the verge of another Great Depression. (I have a more optimistic outlook.) And while we will all likely be affected by an economic downturn, we need to remember that we live in a wonderful country full of amazing opportunities, whether or not the Dow is at five figures.
As a wise man once said about the economy of our country, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
It seems as if our country is standing at the mouth of a dark cave, fearful of what may come out to challenge us.
Let us not give in to to fear. Let us think about the blessings in our lives and the opportunities that surround us. And let us also think about our friends and neighbors who may need our help to get through these tough times.
Americans have survived things much worse, including a revolution, a bloody Civil War, world wars, economic depressions, terrorism attacks and natural disasters. In the face of these challenges, we Americans have risen to the challenge. I don’t think that will change.
