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Sometimes life seems to spin out of control
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Published: October 5, 2008
It is that time of year when the hands of the clock will soon be moved back an hour (daylight saving time ends), the colors of the leaves on the trees are beginning to change, and the Dixie Classic Fair is in town -- visible signs that we are transitioning from one season to another. Some welcome it, others complain. More change, like the leaves on the trees, is taking place, such as the condition of the economy, the availability and price of gas and the uncertainty people face daily. There are diverse opinions about whose is at fault for the mess we are in. There is a lack of trust and confidence that the actions proposed will make the right difference, and it is difficult to understand what it all means. I don't know anyone who looks forward to the uncertainty ahead, but everyone is talking, everywhere you go.
Standing in line in a cafeteria last week, I ran into a friend I had not seen in a while. After the hugs and hellos, the conversation immediately focused on what everyone is talking about -- the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in with the economy. Having worked for Wachovia, she couldn't believe what was happening with the company; the rapid decline of the stock price and the sudden buyout plan. She had an answer on the tip of her tongue though: "It's greed!" There was no question about how she felt. It was the tone of her voice as she emphasized "greed" and the intensity I saw in her eyes. "Can you believe it? Wachovia has been around for 129 years, and now this!" Understandably, she was not a happy camper.
The same can be said of those of us who drive around looking for gas. Few stations are open in some cities, leading to long lines, angry customers and strong emotions. People have actually run out of gas, waiting in line. I had a similar experience recently. Running on empty, I stopped to fill up before traveling to Greensboro for a class that evening. No problem, I thought. I'll pull in, fill up and be on my way. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening. "Houston, we have a problem," I thought. I am almost out of gas, and the first four stations had their pumps covered -- they were empty too. Wow!
Talk about a "bailout" or "rescue" plan reminds me of attending the fair several years ago. I was on a ride with my wife -- the Himalaya, I believe. It spins around one way, while the music is blaring, and then reverses itself and spins counter clockwise. I was about to come out of my seat. The bar would not clamp down over my legs. I was too big, and my legs too long. My wife was laughing, as she thought I was joking. I wasn't. I was holding on, trying not to be ejected from my seat. What I needed and wanted at that moment was a "rescue." Help!
The Wall Street bailout is a hot topic of discussion. For example, on FastCompany.Com, readers were asked: Do you think there should be a Wall Street bailout? "No. It treats the symptom, not the cause," wrote one person. Another commented, "No way! Absolutely not!! I hear the squealing from all you Fat Cats that we would be uncompetitive in the world marketplace." Another answered: "The Wall Street bailout is just as much a Main Street bailout but it has not been framed that way." Here is how another reader responded: "First, I think that there needs to be a massive overhaul on the language that everyone is using on this issue. The popular media has been relentless in branding this a ‘bailout' -- it is not a bailout -- it is truly an economic stabilization plan."
"What do you think about the situation?" I asked a friend.
"I just don't know," she said. "No one is going to be happy. I just hope this is the right decision. There is no magic bullet. It's just crazy." Like me, she is tired of the politicking and posturing going on. "I know it is what it is," she went on to say. "But there has to be a better way."
I hope, like the change in time coming soon, this is a temporary fall back before we spring forward.
■ Nigel Alston is a Dale Carnegie trainer and motivational speaker. He can be reached at nalston1@triad.rr.com.
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