A little perspective

Here’s a quote I overheard this week about the economy in the US:
“You have to close your laptop because you can’t stand to look at your retirement fund any more.”

Let’s think about this for a second. This one sentence is very indicative of many of the situations I hear people in. This sentence indicates a few things:

1. You have power in your house (ie, it’s warm)
2. You have internet connectivity
3. You have a portable supercomputer ON YOUR LAP that is connected to a global network of computers that allows unlimited communication with almost anyone in the world
4. We assume that if you have the 3 above, you have some sort of food.

For you, it’s not THAT bad. You’re smart. Really you are. DO SOMETHING. Invent something new. Start that novel you keep saying you’re going to write. Solve the world’s energy problems. Pick something and DO IT.

And while you’re at it. help your neighbor out, I know you know someone who has lost their job and might not eat tonight but would never tell anyone. That is a real problem.

Your retirement will bounce back. And if it doesn’t, you’re not starving, so keep that in mind.