Worrying won't change future (11/17/2008)

I really should stop reading newspapers. All this gloom and doom about the economy is getting to me. I worry about keeping my job. I worry about keeping health insurance. I worry about what the future will bring.

The newspaper may be my preferred medium for news but that doesn't mean that the gloom and doom can be avoided by avoiding newspapers. My mother gets her news from television.

She worries that we will once again be subjected to ration stamps. Then she retells me the story of when my grandmother used to play cards. It seems she won two big bags of sugar when sugar was in exceedingly short supply. The other ladies were impressed that she could carry the heavy bags, one in each hand. At the time, it was a very valuable prize.

I doubt we will be subjected to ration stamps any time soon. Our leaders will have a difficult time turning the economy around and it will probably take a long time to do so but I can't see it coming to ration stamps. Maybe ration credit cards ...

My husband tells me not to worry, that we will survive just fine. I know he is right, but when I am stuck in worry mode it is hard to embrace his reassurances.

My worrying causes me to take stock of my life, my abilities and my dreams. I make plans that I hope never come to fruition. I try to prepare as best I can for whatever may come down the road.

Maybe this is the time to start a new career. I've always wanted to be a shaman, or maybe a gypsy fortuneteller. I love museums so it might be fun to write all the little descriptions for museum displays.

That reminds me of the first time my husband and I went to Washington D.C. We were at one of the museums, looking at fish. He was at a rather large display and I went over to a well-lit pedestal. Inside was, I swear I am not making this up, a piece of petrified shark dung.

I could just picture the person who wrote the little blurb on the brass plaque saying "You want me to write about WHAT???"

Maybe that wouldn't be such a good career choice.

For now I will stick with the job I have. I will also continue to read the newspaper. I like working the sudoku and the crossword puzzles. It gives me great satisfaction to put the numbers and letters in order.

Nowhere but a newspaper will I get the news of who (literally) ran into whom at the local store; who hit a deer; and who won an award. A newspaper will show me comic strips, give me insight into different viewpoints and print pictures of my friends and neighbors. I believe it is the most unbiased way to get information.

Where else can you write a letter promoting whatever project or idea you think is important? Where else can your child color a picture and gain fame? Where else can you get a picture and an article of your high school sports star to put in an album?

As depressing as the news can be I can't give up on newspapers. I just won't read national news as often.[[In-content Ad]]