During the last few months, the one word that has dominated conversation, besides “Obama”, has been “recession”. Most of us are feeling pretty good about having a new President, but the “recession” thing we could all probably do without.

During the last few months, the one word that has dominated conversation, besides “Obama”, has been “recession”. Most of us are feeling pretty good about having a new President, but the “recession” thing we could all probably do without.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how people like us (hopefully, you) who have a job and a home should handle the impending economic challenges. The experts tell us that in tough economic times it’s important to hunker down and save, save, save. Maybe so, but it has to be equally as important to look out of our foxhole once in a while to make sure everyone else is getting by. I’m no economist, but I do know that for whatever I have, there are a lot of people who have more and a lot more people who have less.

Maybe the thing to do is save a little; and give a lot more. Give in any way you can. We have more opportunity than our ancestors could have imagined in their wildest dreams. We have the opportunity to be successful, sure. We also have the opportunity to show compassion, to share, to learn from each other’s experiences, to love who we want on our terms, to correct our mistakes and move on, to look in the mirror and see who we are, what we could become and know that we have the power to get there.

Maybe on the nights we save money by eating at home we could also give to a local food pantry. We could attend a town meeting to make our community better. We can check in on the senior citizens in our neighborhoods. We can give either our money or our time to a cause we believe in. We can make sure our extended family isn’t in need of family. We can patronize a local independent shop. We can send books and things of comfort to our troops. We can smile more in public, and maybe say hello to each other once in a while. We can give thanks for what we have and open our hearts to those who have less.

The greatness of our country stems from the belief that we can make a difference in our lives and the lives of others. So this year, let’s make a difference to each other. Maybe it will make us even happier than when we thought we had money.

From all of us at ADR and ADW to all of you;

Peace

 

R. Harvey Bravman