Monday, September 15, 2008

Should I Be Worried About the Economy? and Other Questions I Keep Asking Myself

I'm feeling anxious today and, while this might be related to hormonal fluctuations, it's very likely due to all the questions that keep running through my head. I was awake much of the night, tossing and turning, and every time I woke up there were more questions forming a pile on the pillow beside my head.

A few examples:

  • Is the economy really as bad as the "analysts" keep saying it is?
  • Are we going to experience a depression to rival the Great Depression, as one of those analysts implied will occur if things don't improve drastically, and soon?
  • What should I do with my money?
  • Is it safe to spend some of my savings on more windows and a door?
  • Can I afford to buy a dining table?
  • What color should I paint my dining room?
  • When am I going to find time to refinish the kitchen cabinets?
  • And paint the dining room?
  • Should I paint the kitchen before or after I paint the dining room?
  • How can I worry about paint when men are at war, people are starving and a hurricane just destroyed homes and lives?
  • Can we fix the mess we've made of our country?
  • Don't people care about one another anymore?
  • Should I move back to my hometown?
  • Will I ever move anywhere again?
  • Should I get another cat or is one cat more than enough?
  • Am I a good cat-mommy?
  • Should I have blanched all those green beans I've been freezing?
  • Will they be ruined when I try to eat them in January?
It's like my mind is a black hole of questions big and small, with answers that seem to melt into the darkness and disappear. Each question leads to another question, which inevitably leads to three or five or ten more. Today I'm trying to hold on to the things I do know, in hopes that they'll shed light on those things that I can't figure out quite yet.
  • My friends and family love me, no matter what.
  • I care about people.
  • I love love.
  • I have a home and a job that pays the bills.
  • My cat meets me at the door everyday and purrs when she's near me.
  • Paint isn't permanent.
  • Life is precious and I can choose to be present for it all.
That's a bit of what's been on my mind lately. What's on your mind these days?

7 comments:

Angie Ledbetter said...

"Life is precious and I can choose to be present for it all."

Love that quote. It is hard, especially for writers, I think, to turn off their heads at night. Sometimes if you get a rosary or a string of worry beads or some other physical mechanism to chant or say prayers/count blessings on, it relieves that logical side of your brain, allowing sleep to creep in. Try it.

Ami said...

Thanks for the advice, Angie. I tried it last night and I slept very well. We'll see if that holds true for the rest of the week. :)

Louise said...

I have a favor to ask you and others in Girldom. Can we go to dinner soon, and can you and everyone else who goes pick 5 of these types of questions up off of there pillows and bring them to the table? I could use some soul searching time. PS I worry if I am a good Chinchilla mommy, too.

Melissa Amateis said...

You've got the right attitude - hole on to what you know and take comfort from it. I have to give my worries to God a lot of the time otherwise it is just too overwhelming for me.

RE: the economy - I was watching the news last night and they had economic analysts talking about the national debt. It was not good news - they were saying we will actually RUN OUT of money. I was wondering where in the heck I could stash my dough because I'm not sure that banks will be safe in the next 20 years!

Melissa Amateis said...

That should have said "hold" on, not "hole" on. Sheesh.

Ami said...

Louise - I'm working on it. We definitely need more girl time! :)

Melissa - No wonder so many people are in debt up to their ears. Look at what a great example our government has been.

Anonymous said...

This sounds like the inside of my head. I'm sorry to hear you've had so much on your mind. I think my favorite (if I'm allowed to have a favorite) worry on your list is whether or not you are a "good cat mommy." I feel the same way about my dog. . . oh, and wondering whether with this economy- will I ever move out of the garden apartment?

Clicky Web Analytics