Archive: Opinions

To The PointThere is a lot of talk about uncertainty these days.  We appear to be heading out of our recent economic crisis, but experts are uncertain about some key indicators that signal the start of a recovery.  Each week, the stock market fluctuates sending analysts and prognosticators into sheer joy one week followed by a deep plunge into panic in the next.

The political situation in our country is also an uncertainty.  One year ago, the Democrats were riding an electoral wave of confidence having won the White House, the Senate, additional seats in the House of Representatives, and many state governor races. 

Today, that remarkable accomplishment looks quite shaky.  The recent election of a Republican candidate for senator from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has sent shockwaves through both houses of congress with the White House on guard for any other possible surprises.  For many, times are pretty tough. 

But tough times, events, and circumstances can teach us much about ourselves and other people. They bring us face to face with our honesty, integrity, sense of personal responsibility, and ways of dealing with life's challenges.

It is precisely in these uncertain times when individuals need to strike out on their own and reach for that goal they have always dreamt of achieving in their life.  Risk is always involved in any venture, so why not spend a little of your personal capital and seize the opportunity to pursue that elusive goal of a lifetime. 

Circumstances beyond our control do not guide our destiny in life.  It opens up our unlimited possibilities.  Uncertainty is not so much about surviving troubled times as it is learning more about what is hidden inside of us; about who we really are and what we can achieve.

Are you someone with a talent?  Is your talent under a bushel basket?  Now is the time to lift that basket and follow through with your plan of action.  Sham-wow was just an idea once, and now it is a household word with millions of those cloths gathering dust in houses, garages, and sheds all over the country.

Are there any writers out there?  Waiting for that moment to write a story about your Grandpa who fought in World War II, liberated some Italian town in Tuscany, and met the woman who became your Nana?  Get busy and start typing.  Americans love war stories and romances.  Combine the two and you have the next best seller and possibly a movie contract. 

In these times where no one’s job is safe, not even a Democrat running for Ted Kennedy’s seat in the United States Senate, it makes sense to be a bit more risky and reach for the sky.  I am not suggesting that you quit your day job.  That would be irresponsible.  But I am hoping that those of you with ideas, dreams, inventions, talents, skills, or any other imaginable gift take this opportunity to get busy developing your potential into reality.

When written in Chinese the word "crisis" is composed of two characters - one represents danger and the other represents opportunity.  When it comes to the bottom line, the people who succeed are the ones who shift their perception, accept reality, and explore hidden opportunity. Follow the advice of the ancient philosophers, “Carpe Diem” -- Seize the Day.  And that is to the point. 

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