A Problem Avoided is a Problem Resolved

The above aphorism is a good approach to living a stress reduced life. Good for your overall health, and good for society at large. Why do I say this? Today, we Americans live our lives as if we were in a perpetual competition with each other. In war, the army that gets there first and secures the high ground, will likely win the battle. Think Fredericksburg for the Confederates and Gettysburg for the Union. In NASCAR races, the winner has to literally blast his way around everybody else, and do so despite the desire of each other driver to prevent him from doing so. The best jobs, the best seats, the best salary, and the best life require that we make certain the competition is left in our rear view mirror. In short, our lives are spent on the NASCAR track, and each moment is critical to our success. But does this attitude, and it is an attitude more than anything else, work. I submit that it does not. Look at our economy as it exists today. It is a shadow of what it used to be in the years following World War II. It is no coincidence that our best days followed the five years where we all sacrificed for each other, and rewarded that sacrifice. Every veteran of the war received a free college education. I know because I was one of them. There were ten million or so of us that got that privilege. Jobs were plentiful, and nobody was on the dole except for those who failed to take advantage of all of the opportunities that lay before them. Everybody that is except for certain minorities that had to fight for their position in society in the 50's and 60's. Most of our civil rights legislation was passed during that period. Imagine trying to pass it now with our present attitude towards each other. Somewhere along the way we lost our focus. We sent our jobs overseas rather than pay a union wage. We closed factories rather than pay taxes that would keep us strong. We shipped our money to banks in the third world who were willing to hide it from the tax agent. All designed to give us some advantage over our neighbor that we thought would help us. Today we are rapidly downsizing to a third world country, while the third world is up sizing to become what we were. Does that make any sense? If it does, you need to rethink your attitude toward your fellow man. If we want to keep our position as a free and financially sound community, there is only one way to do it. We must help one another thrive. To do that is not difficult. All we have to do is go back to what got us here in the first place. If we all begin again to look at one another, not as competition, but rather as fellow Americans, and by this means agree to help one another along the way, we will once again be unstoppable. The only way in which we can be defeated, is to continue to act as we are acting now. Getting back to the aphorism. Instead of sticking it to your neighbor, and thumbing your nose at him, give him a lift. He will do the same, and when you need it, it will be there. Is this Pollyanna thinking? Probably, but are we currently on the right track? Tomorrow's problems can be avoided. Lets get busy and do it. It is never too late.