Thursday, January 29, 2009

Lean Times


The news of the day is so discouraging of late that I find myself avoiding the press and the media just so I won't have to hear about how many people have found themselves suddenly jobless in an economy that seems to be sliding further and further into a black hole. Although I feel fortunate that my husband and I both have jobs, my part time restaurant gig has been far from lucrative lately and my bed and breakfast is as slow as I've ever seen it. My husband just started his current job in December after a six month stint of unemployment that we didn't really have a chance to catch up from. His job pays about two thirds of what the last one did, but it's much less stressful and he enjoys the environment and his co-workers, so in the end, the transition has been quite positive. If he's happy, I'm happy!!

So we're getting by, and I have hope that the situation will improve for us as Spring approaches, but what about everyone else?? The recession and the pervasive unemployment and the home foreclosures and the sense of hopelessness have to take a toll on any individual who
feels tuned in to the universe and spiritually connected to the world. We can't isolate ourselves from it, even if we are surviving the crisis relatively unscathed.

Yesterday I read that one of the higher ups at the Target Corporation cried as she delivered the news of massive layoffs to a roomful of anxious staff members.

Yet we have people like Tom Petters and his cohorts, jailed for swidling millions and still getting caught trying to hide assets from the court.

Greed and corruption are alive and thriving in this society while honest people just try to continue living and loving and keeping their families together in spite of the lean times.

So my prayer is that we all manage to maintain our perspective and our peace and our good hearts, because no matter what trials befall us, it's comforting to know, without a doubt, that we will always be one of the good guys.

Happy Thursday!!

Pamela

5 comments:

  1. An uplifting and caring post and a nice read. It is a difficult time. I work ar not focusing on the negative and yet we too are seeing a difference. I wonder how young families starting careers and with youg children do what needs to be do. I do hope that the focus on what needs to be done and how best to do it is what I can do ...as I believe from your post you are working at doing
    Linda

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  2. Hi Pamela,

    You've got the beginings of a very nice blog here. You're right, it is a difficult time. I believe here in Australia we've only just started to see the effects with the economy and job cuts. I hope things pick up soon before any real suffering starts :(
    Chantel

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  3. Hi Pamela, thanks for visiting my weblog. You speak some very honest words here and the same things that happen in your country, happen in mine. I'll be okay, but I worry about the other people who won't be and who stand to loose a lot. Luckily, I only have me to worry about and the animals, of course, but we'll be fine. I hope that you Americans, with the help of your new president, can turn the tide and bring back a sense of optimism and positivism, which is badly needed. We're all cheering for you here in the Netherlands.

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  4. Hello, Pam! It's wonderful to "meet" you! (And if you hate being called "Pam", please tell me and I promise never to do it again. I just have a peculiar habit of shortening everyone's name to one syllable.)

    I understand what you mean about the economy and the hardships that people are facing during this time. The news is bleak... so I've tuned it out. I can't afford to dwell on negativity. Instead, I'm feeling hopeful. I'm envisioning our nation recovering from this crisis much sooner than anticipated. I'm also praying for an end to greed -- as I see it as the cause for all of this.

    Greed. Hmmm... the fear of not having enough? The fear of someone else having "more than"? Our economy is a symptom of a much greater illness. An illness that is perpetuated in the media -- all the "BLING" and materialistic messages being sent out. People have forgotten what's truly important and need a wake up call. Please, somebody -- hand me a PHONE!! :-)

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  5. I agree with you and your readers here, but another aspect of this problem is that we have lost the capacity to differentiate between wants and needs, lived off credit and thought that all was as it should be, ignoring the deregulation and greed until it knocked all of us on our collective behinds. I hope your business picks up because I think small businesses like yours have been our backbone. We all have to start living smaller, saving what we can and enjoying what we have instead of always wanting more. If you want something to read, check out a book called Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. Good luck and thanks for following my Blog!

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