There is a beginning and end to all things. Some things obviously last much longer while others flash out in a blink of an eye. Duration of any one event is largely out of our control. Constant things become temporary and the illusion of the permanent is quickly shattered.
Within the last few weeks this has been reminded to me. My brother-in-law Andrew was killed in a car crash. It was tragic and the entire family has had a very difficult time accepting that he is gone. It does not seem to become any more real as the days roll by.
The transition to acceptance is a difficult thing. Change is always impending itself upon us in one form or another. The more we resist, the harder it pushes back. It is almost as if things would be so much easier to just to relax and flow with the current.
This is true of the current economic crisis as well. It has come and everyone has reacted to it in a number of ways. Perhaps the most common is either full panic or complete denial. Either way is unhealthy. In some ways, the extreme reactions only lead to the situation worsening.
It is fair to say that no government injections are going to prevent what is going to happen. For whatever they inject the people are bound to hoard. Fear and denial (or blatant optimism) do not mix well. Oil and water really.
The most logical course has no emotion at all. Thinking with a clear head can allow the impossible to happen. When everyone is busy hiding and waiting for the sky to fall, companies can still be successful and thrive. When some people only see dark clouds, others see the benefits of the coming changes.
The gloom and doom predicted upon the world only shows half of the story. The true meaning of life does not include hiding from that which opposes it. It takes real courage to do what is needed at the time it is needed.
In the darkest hours, those that stand tall and understand the power of their own being will see that it isn’t just about helping yourself but helping each other. It could not be any simpler than that.
To that end, companies that usually compete should be looking to work together. Companies that are thinking of cutting back should instead find ways to invest in the future. We are all in this together and there is no reason why we cannot do what we are always destined to do.
It is time to get out of the muck of selfishness and fear and start opening up and asking what can be done for someone else. The world does not need more rich unhappy people. It needs people that understanding there is more to life than trying to buy something that is never going to make them happy.
The greatest hope comes from within. You only need yourself and the faith that life is good and that it is worth living it well. Once you deal with your own demons, the rest is much easier. Sometimes it is as simple as listening to what you say and deciding that maybe nothing needed to be said. With that in mind, it is a good place to stop.
