Spirit of community

These are tough economic times, the toughest in many decades, especially for those who’ve lost homes or jobs or are retired or near retirement and have seen their nest eggs go in the tank. For them, the bad economic news is more than news; it’s a hard hit to the gut, the harsh reality of lives upended and not enough money to pay the bills.

The rest of us, who haven’t lost our homes or jobs (yet) and aren’t dependent on our retirement money (yet), enjoy the luxury of being able to look beyond the gloom and doom to what the troubles may teach us and how we may change for the better as a result.

The Washington Post reported recently on how people are examining their core values and reordering their priorities in an acknowledgement that the greatest security is to be found not in material things, but rather in friends, family, spirit and community.

Many of us who live in the Sacramento region have plenty of reasons to feel grateful. We’re diverse. We’re dynamic. We’re not satisfied with the status quo, as evidenced (whether you supported Kevin Johnson or not) by the recent mayoral race. Despite being home to the state Capitol and its chronic budget and problem-solving failures, the Sacramento community remains a thriving and ever-improving one with strong potential for economic development, especially in the “green” area. In short, we will weather this economic storm just fine, especially if we take care of each other.