Where there is HOPE!

These past few weeks leaves everyone asking lots and lots of questions. There is despair, frustration, anger, fear, anxiety and depression over what is happening in the markets. There are times when everything seems totally broken. However, there are things that are working very well. It is frustrating because we feel so out of control.
This issue goes WAY BEYOND Republican or Democrat - this is now a global issue effecting every country around the globe. Banks are failing all around the world. There is a credit crisis of epidemic proportion everywhere. The main issue? Human Greed. Greed on behalf of the banks and lending institutions, but also greed on behalf of the consumer who's sense of entitlement causes many of us to consume far beyond our ability to pay. We just can't say NO to ourselves. There is no delayed gratification for anything? It is one of seven deadliest sins for a reason - eventually it leads to the death of something.
Perhaps rather than doing what we always do as humans - blame someone else - we should step up and take responsibility for our own part in this mess. What have we done to contribute to the issue and what do we continue to do that perpetuates the behavior? You know if we could just be happy without having to purchase our way to happiness we probably would not be in this situation to begin with. So why can't we be happy and satisfied? Perhaps we should blame Envy? Since we blame everything else but ourselves anyway, lets blame envy for our greed. When your neighbor gets something new are you happy for him? Or are you secretly jealous about the new thing that he has that you don't? We covet what others have, which makes us jealous which leads to greed. It's a crazy circle of insanity that ultimately leads to total destruction. SO what do we need?
We need a conversion of the heart. This is a heart issue, a heart problem. We need a new focus and a drive to LIVE IN this crazy world but NOT become a part OF IT. By focusing on the needs of others and not taking ourselves so seriously - we could create positive change and good will around the world! We need to shed our self centered nature and focus on the needs of those around us. It's not that hard - why don't we start in our own families. Rather than always having to win the argument or always be right, why don't we try to seek to understand our family members before being understood. If we would start this in our own families and create positive change there, it would spread like wild fire from family to family. I think I will start by trying to please and understand my wife more.....