Positive Engagement with Caution
Life’s a dance, you learn as you go.
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.
Don’t worry ‘bout what you don’t know,
Life’s a dance you learn as you go.
Life’s a Dance – John Michael Montgomery
…..
As I write this, there is news that the Russians may be pulling back from Kiev and are more prepared to talk as their military adventures seem to be failing.
Maybe so. Maybe not.
Amongst the many great utterances of Sir Winston Churchill is his comment that “the future, though imminent, is uncertain.” That has always been true. It is especially true now.
The war in Ukraine could slow down and an agreement reached. Or it could escalate with chemical or nuclear weapons. Interest rates are going up quickly. They could settle down or double again from here. The economy in the U.S. has been strong. Some think it will stay that way as the consumer still has cash and jobs are plentiful whereas others think the rampant inflation will cause growth to stall out and lead to recession. Ukraine may have discouraged China from aggressive action in the Pacific, or it may be encouraged to do more. The left’s culture war is escalating as they get more corporations and schools to bow down to their gender fluidity and social justice mores. But elsewhere, regular folks are fighting back and seem to have the left in retreat at least in red states. Justice is meted out unequally around the country as January 6th protestors are held indefinitely without charges or bail as convicted murderers and rapists are released in other jurisdictions.
I don’t know where any of this is going. I suspect you don’t either. So, what to do?
“You can’t control events, but you can control your reaction to them” is an oft repeated and trite phrase. But it is valid, nonetheless. That “reaction” that we choose is very personal. I don’t know how you will decide to navigate the minefields of life in the next year or so. But I can share with you my guidelines on the matter, in the hope that it helps you find yours. The John Michael Montgomery lyrics I quoted at the top of this piece in part say, “sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow”. In my opinion, this is a time to do both.
Engage Somewhere: People in Ukraine cannot control what Putin does or how their government organizes a defense. But many if not most are getting a rifle or learning to throw a Molotov cocktail and participating. That collective participation may actually be winning this war. Each of us can participate somewhere. To participate everywhere is too much to ask and spreads one to thin. To participate nowhere leaves one feeling vacant as only an observer without usefulness. So, engage somewhere. Maybe it’s boycotting a woke company’s products or supporting a favorite candidate or showing up at the school board meeting. As I have stated many times in this blog, the threats to our society, culture, economy and security are as great as they have been in my lifetime. No one of us can change that. But all of us working in concert to play some part can.
Tread Carefully with Finance: There are plenty of people who believe that 2022 is going to be a good year economically. After all, the consumer has money, interest rates are still low historically and job are plentiful with wages rising. All true. But there are storm clouds as well. Inflation is running as hot as ever, product shortages abound and although still low, interest rates are rising fast at a time when there is more debt in society than ever. To me, this is a time for financial caution. A time to spend a little less, save a little more, take a little less risk and reduce some debt. Now to be fair, I’m a CPA and that is kind of the way we always live life. But the risks out there are greater than usual. Some caution is warranted.
Choose a Positive Attitude: All of the conflicts going on in the U.S. and the world today will resolve. But not all will resolve in the way I would like. The great sage Forest Gump said that “Life was like a box of chocolates”. He was right. And in my case, invariably I will bite into one with that miserable sweet cherry goo inside. I hate that. We will lose some of these political or cultural battles. People have written whole books about staying positive in the face of adversity so I will not attempt to do that in one paragraph here. Instead, I will finish this piece with another bit of song lyrics from the 80s by the Christian/Country artist Paul Overstreet.
“When the rains don’t come and the crops all fail,
And the cows ain’t puttin’ any milk in the pail.
Don’t sit around waitin’ for a check in the mail.
Just pick up the shovel and dig another well.
Pick up the shovel and dig another well.”
Dig Another Well – Paul Overstreet
I remain respectfully,
Congressman John Campbell
Drive fast and live free