In the news today: More doom and gloom

Yahoo News published an article today titled "Everything Seemingly is Spinning Out of Control". Poor word placement aside, the article puts into words what most of us are probably thinking, in one version or another: is the world coming apart at the seams? Although we've escaped the floods, droughts, tornadoes, and earthquakes here in northern Indiana, our gas prices are high and food prices are rising as well. Thankfully, hubby and I have good, stable jobs, but we're starting to feel the economic downturn. I haven't much altered my purchasing, but I've always been a cheapskate frugal, so we don't spend unnecessarily. Still, I worry what the future will hold and wonder what the changing economy will mean for us.

In many ways, I feel that the slowing economy is a good thing. Americans have long consumed too much. We take our plentiful food, water, and money for granted and generally waste these gifts. Most people seem to feel like if you can afford the biggest house/car/soda, than that is what's best. And our culture encourages it, through advertising, entertainment, examples of the rich and famous, and improper lending practices. I thank God that hubby and I were intelligent enough to decide what we wanted to pay each month for a mortgage and stick to it, even when the bank would have approved us for tens of thousands more.

The current "energy crisis" will help us to cut back on our extravagant usage of the world's resources. The "food shortage" will encourage people to plant gardens and become more aware of where their food comes from and its effect on the earth. The "housing market collapse" will help old homes become desirable again and remind people that newer isn't always best.

Perhaps the 21st centure will truly be about the "unraveling of some things long taken for granted," as the article claims. But is that such a bad thing??