|
Downsizing the American Dream
by Janet Morris Grimes Change. It's in the air. It's in the media. It's on the front page of every newspaper. It's true, but not for the reasons you may have been told. As Americans, we have changed. We were forced to do so, in order to survive. Within a few short weeks, economies around the world collapsed all around us. Most of us have yet to understand what was behind it all. We just know that things are different now. The news of gloom and doom really hit a few months before gas prices reached $4 a gallon. As we were told by the media how expensive it would be to fill up the vehicles we drove - the world then marveled that vehicles sales were dropping. And then, finally, we reached a point that we suspected the media was creating the news, instead of simply reporting it. Within a few months, we were hearing reports of banks collapsing, there was a mortgage crisis, and no one was buying goods of any kind. As it turns out, panic serves no one well. But maybe, if the media stops reporting it, they might also stop creating it. Last November started the five weeks of news that basically, Christmas had been ruined for everyone. But as a nation, as an American, as a family, this gave us time to think to reevaluate what happened and to turn off our TV's long enough to figure it out for ourselves. It was all a vicious cycle. In the past, we bought houses that were too expensive for us. We used money we didn't have to buy things we didn't need. We tried for years to 'keep up with the Joneses.' But later, when we watched as the Joneses lost their house, we determined that we didn't want to go where they were headed after all. So, yes, things have changed. But, I dare say that if you were to take a look into most of our living rooms, what you would find is not "gloom and doom." We eat at home, together. We discuss what's happening in the world, and then decide what we should do about it, without being told. We realize that celebrities are just people with flaws, and that their opinions are no more important than our own. And we understand that the economy will eventually improve, but even when it does, we will be content with less than before from this point forward, all we need is just enough. And this is something decided on our own. Along the way, it seems, we discovered a need to know the truth. And truth is something we can only determine for ourselves. This is our nation. These are our families. And America has to play by our rules. This is our future, and we are willing to fight for it. So Attention all media: The reason no one is watching your news- it's because we no longer trust you to tell us the truth. As a matter of fact, we are telling you the truth, and you refuse to report it. The truth is that our country is not in as bad shape as you think; and the voices that matter are not your own. The American dream is still alive and well, and it's time for us to reclaim it, on our own terms. We still believe in God. We still believe in Christmas. We still believe in each other. We are the greatest country in the world. We owe no one an apology. We stand for what is right. We work hard to provide for ourselves. And these are the beliefs that unify us, regardless of our color. Change. It's in the air, and it would be wise for the world to listen. Janet Morris Grimes, the author The Parent's Guide to Uncluttering Your Home, released in 2011. She launched Abbandoned Ministries to lead others to seek God, as Abba, during abandonment. For more information, visit http://janetmorrisgrimes.com or http://abbandondoned.com. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |