Is Dickens about to rival Nostradamus? 

Not likely.

Charlotte and I came back from vacation just in time to hear of yet another bailout.  Neither of us reads a newspaper or listens to the news while on vacation.  Quirky? Maybe, but vacation is a lot more fun that way.

Upon hearing the news, the Charles Dickens quote “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” came to mind.  The second thought was – how prophetic!  Was Dickens a prophet?  Not really; he’s simply a student of human nature.

We always live in the best of times and the worst of times.  Life is beset with both great joy and great challenge.  This time is no different.  Yet, one thing remains the same – the indomitable human spirit. 

It’s counter-intuitive, but during these trying times we’ll find people:

• helping one another weather the challenges they face
• returning to values overlooked because we’ve been moving too fast
• enjoying simpler pleasures of days past
• dealing with today’s economic challenges as we have in the past – effectively

Yes, we’re going to experience some pain with these economic challenges.  We’re also going to discover ways to deal with them that will allow us to recover more quickly than the press might lead us to believe.  It’s our nature to thrive in the face of adversity. 

As we look ahead, let’s look with the eyes of belief – belief that we will not only survive, we will thrive.  We will thrive because we possess the will, knowledge, intelligence and creativity to overcome any challenge life presents.  We will thrive, because we have an indomitable human spirit.

If there are topics you’d like me to address, send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.