People tend to let their values wander during good economic times. They have many more possibilities and these distract them from the really important things. I have heard many couples tell me that they were closer to each other when they were first married and struggling to make ends meet than when they later had plenty. It is easy to allow this to happen when there are no worries about tomorrow. Unfortunately, not taking care of today will always bring worries for tomorrow.
A bad economy will force us to remember that which is important. We can return to the things that will make a difference at the end of our lives by taking care of the important things today.
So, what are they?
They are: Friends, Family, and Faith.
I don't know why we have started insulating ourselves from the rest of the world. We don't know ou neighbors. We see them pull up in their cars and go into their houses and shut the door. They may wave but there is really no connection.
Our isolation is so great that a book, Bowling Alone, claims that people are still doing the things that they once did but they now do so alone. This includes those things which were formerly considered social events like going to the movies or bowling. We don't want to be bothered by others.
Isolation can be fearful when times get bad. There will be no one to bail you out. No one to come to your aid. This is too often seen when a group of people watch as another person is mugged.
We need to communicate this to the politicians. They believe they can simply go along like they always have because times haven't gotten bad for them. They keep voting themselves raises when their approval rating is abysmally low. They are not cooperating with each other. The majority simply snubs their noses at the others. They don't need the others to pass their agenda. They don't get it. In bad times we always need each other!
We must band together. We must watch each others' backs. We must renew and make friendships which will pick up that friend when he or she has fallen down. Friends are extremely important. We no longer have the luxury to be isolated. We must all work together.
Family should be valued during all economic times but it will be essential during bad ones. The destruction of the family is the destruction of a nation. Family is the seminal unit for any society. Values should be communicated by family. The weakness of a family is seen when values are communicated by the media, entertainment personalities and what feels good at the time. The destruction of the family has bred the sins of greed and dishonesty. We would never have fallen into the trap of sub-prime loans if we had solid values taught universally from our homes. If we are going to get out of this crisis, we must return to family values.
Last, there is faith. It is the foundation for friendships and family. It gives us hope for rain when there are droughts. It gives us an assurance of things hoped for and evidence of things not yet seen. It gives us values which have stood the test of time. It gives us forgiveness for our sins and a blessing for our future. It tells us what is really right and that right will never fade even in the prevailing mores of a society.
We must return to these three things. Especially now, for the fabric of our society is unraveling quickly before us. A desperate people will do unconscionable things to fulfill their basic needs. A bad economy may be the least of our worries when we have no significant values.
Friends, Family and Faith-- these are the really important values in our lives.
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