The Lesson of Recession

It's all they have been talking about in Ireland, much more so than in Scotland before I left. I guess because the Celtic Tiger had made such a dramatic change in our economy and outlook. Now apparently all the builder's cheques are bouncing, my Uncle says the Building Industry could single-handedly bring down the banks.
So a strange time for me to downsize my life so drastically? I don't know. Perhaps my life is a microcosm of the nation as a whole. I think we are going to need to learn to downsize and simplify quite considerably. And I don't think that is a bad thing. Over the past few days I have been looking at how I am going to manage to live and it's not too scary if I am willing to focus on what I have got and on what interests me. If I am willing to live simply and learn new skills in not wasting resources or money but keeping it only for what matters, I think the quality of my life is going to improve greatly.
Perhaps the whole world needs to learn that. Maybe that is why the recession is coming, to restore us to some form of equilibrium. To reappraise our priorities. To learn to really take care of ourselves, not cater to passing whims (of which I have been guilty), to learn to take care of one another, to learn humility again, to rediscover what simple pleasures are, what true dignity is as opposed to the status conferred by money. I hope Ireland learns this lesson well.