Trouble ahead...trouble behind

Man, it is like the Never Ending Story....never ending.

The gloom and doom continues. After a dismal January and February we are clawing our way towards Spring.

The banks are having fun with their own little Catch 22. They are going bankrupt because of bad loans and yet they are being pressured to use the recovery money to make loans. Even my dad, the great predictor of catastrophy, could not foresee that the damage from the mortgage industry would permeate every sector of the economy and cause an international financial crisis.

Well, personally I am weary of dwelling on bad news that makes everyone feel helpless. I try to continue to do the things that I can do and the things that need to be done and not become paralyzed by depression about what I can not impact. I take pleasure in the joy that family brings. I am thankful for the occasional warm day, like yesterday when I can get outdoors and play remedial tennis with my friends. I cuddle my smelly, wonderful dogs.

Like the prayer says:
"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

We may get more cold weather before the before winter ends. We might even see a late season snow. But soon green things will push their way above the surface, the dormant trees will regain their leaves, and eventually even the flowers will bloom. No matter what bad things might happen in our personal lives or the economy, the miracle we call "Spring" will repeat itself again. Maybe there is something we can learn from that. Let's try to hold it together and keep the faith.