The Face Of The Recession

Do you see it?

It's all around you. They're there. At the convenience store, at the grocery store, the gas station. They're all around you yet you'd never know it.

They might be driving an Escalade or any kind of late-model, shiny, glitzy looking vehicle. You look at something like that and see wealth, not poverty.

You might see one pull into the driveway of a huge, 2 story house. There's nothing wrong there, those people are well off.

A U-Haul truck appears in your neighbor's driveway. You wonder what's going on there, they haven't said anything about moving?

Do you see the news reports of the food banks desperate for donations?

Churches asking for help?

Do you ever see the ads on Craigslist? People asking for food or shelter - or both?

I will continue to state that we are in a depression until I see something otherwise.

Perhaps, for New Year's Resolutions - we should be thinking about how we can help our neighbors - if in the position to do so - instead of looking at what we can do for ourselves.

BTW, those people driving that fancy SUV? That thing is scheduled to be re-po'd and the house they walked into is in foreclosure - they will be homeless and without transportation soon. The parents lost their jobs and unemployment hardly scratches the surface of living expenses. Better than nothing - yes - but.

Oh, and about helping your neighbors - well - you'll probably have to look for clues about whether there is something going on financially over there or not - they probably won't say anything to you about it. You'll have to reach out and offer the help, they most likely don't even want to talk about it to anyone, much less ask for handouts.

Not judging anyone. But it is time that we all come out of our shells and start to SEE what's going on around us. People are suffering. Possibly, if you see the need, there is something you can do about it. The government? can only do so much.

Just sayin'.

ben