The economic downturn, as it is called, is in the minds, and consequently the conversations, of too many Americans. We are bombarded with news stories about the economy and have been convinced on a mass scale that times are tough. For many, this is true, there have been layoffs, and foreclosures, but for many others not much has changed and life is pretty much as it was. I have noticed over the past few months, however, that many people are in the "recession", "things are bad", "in this economy" state of mind. Others, like myself, go through the day with the belief that everything is happening according to plan. Yes, things have changed, but I feel, as usual, it is all for the best.

It is commonly accepted in our society that actively and robustly participating in material consumption is moving forward. The more we buy and the better things we own the more progress we are making in life; get a bigger house, buy a newer car, buy more clothes and electronics, etc., etc. etc. Buying what you require to live your life and to accomplish your goals efficiently is essential, however, buying material goods as a way to add meaning to life or make us feel more worthy is a never ending road offering little reward and a lot of expense. Making trips to the mall week after week and buying whatever is on sale so that you can feel like you got a deal, just because you really don't have much else to do, is the anesthetic activity in which a great number of people participate regularly. I know this is true since I drive past the mall each day on the way home from work and see the parking lot full and I dare not venture near on Saturday or I most likely will be navigating the parking lot for at least an hour or so.

A point that should be taken into consideration is that everything we buy someday must be recycled in some form; therefore it is prudent for us to buy what is essential for our lives and leave the rest. It is essential that spending continues, since consumerism is the basis of the American economy, having turned over most production of goods to other countries. Yes, we complain about lack of jobs, but our desire for cheap goods has sent many of the jobs away to place that have cheaper labor and now we complain about immigrants doing jobs that we will not do ourselves. In order to have three or four flat screen TVs, multiple cars, an endless supply of new clothes and cupboard full of tasty instant treats, all for the cheapest price possible, we have given away the task as a society to create and produce. Is this really going forward? I'm not sure it is.

However the good news is that there is now an economic shift away from the spending orgy in which we participated. If you go back to the time before the two booms, tech and mortgage, the situation wasn't much different than it is now, so in reality we are returning to where we would have been had those booms not occurred. What I see happening are changes that are wholesome and rewarding. We look for locally produced food, once again eating the fruits of the area in which we live that do not require as much fuel to transport. We engage in recreation activities nearer to home, rather than flying and driving large distances. Perhaps we cut down on buying and therefore reduce the amount of waste we are creating. In other words, we are becoming conscious of our lives and how we can create happiness not solely based on purchasing and consuming. This is going forward, improving our quality of life, developing appreciation and gratitude and strengthening personal relationships.

Yes, the tide is turning, the economy is strengthening by becoming more stable, and we are finding a healthy moderation in our relationship to material goods. My father, Martin Zellea, always said that moderation is the highest human state. I believe, as always, he was right, booms are exciting and rapid shifts of many kinds will be occurring more frequently in the coming years; it is those who can exist in the grounding stability of moderation who will not be swept away. The human race has been having a big party, followed by a big hangover, but lessons are learned from such activities and growth, responsibility and maturity are sure to follow.