This past week folks around the world have had a lot to contend with. Bad weather, shaky financial markets, mad cow and hoof and mouth disease, to name a few. These are strange times…..but I am a positive person…I believe all this will pass and we will come out of it a stronger people. It used to be problems like these were some else’s…..now, they are ours. Should we pretend that “everything is wonderful, and nothing is wrong?” of course not….by doing that, no solutions would be found. I love life, and I highly respect people, no matter where they live. As a result of this newsletter that reaches 65 countries, I feel their joy and pain.

So what do we do to help solve some of these problems? One way would be to develop solutions that, over the long term, will strengthen us, and help us to better prepare if these things happen again. In terms of mad cow, little is known, but stay informed to better prepare your family. The stock market? That’s a beast unto itself. Manipulation, upgrades, downgrades, selling one sector into another. One thing I’m fairly confident of is that good companies with good management emerge stronger and bolder from downturns in the economy. I’m a true believer that long term investing in good companies is the only way to go. I learned this from my beloved Grandmother….bless her soul.

I would like to share with you a little story that shows humanity at its best. In 1977 New York City had a major blackout. At around 8pm, all of the lights in the city went dark. At first, panic was everywhere…..people were stranded in elevators, walking along the streets trying to find their way…..many could not get home. Then after about half an hour, something extraordinary happened……people started reaching out their hands to neighbors, in a time of need. I was driving along in my car through Manhattan….there were no streetlights, but there were people at every corner with flashlights directing traffic, so that the traffic could continue to flow safely. Strangers to this day….I have no idea who they were, but they cared enough to come out of their apartments to direct the traffic for FREE. Nobody mentioned, “What do I get out of this? How much will I get paid? Why should I care?” They just did it, because somewhere inside each and every one of us, no matter how deep you go, somewhere lurking down there, is Compassion and Love. This blackout lasted until early the next morning. The news reported that many stayed up all night to help others. Sure there was some looting, but overall we knew we were “all in this together.” Kind of like now.

There will always be obstacles in life. One thing I always try to remember, to try to be as kind, compassionate, caring and loving as possible. These are the things I believe can get one through tough times. In the air there is a sense of despair……but each day can bring a new breeze to blow fresh ideas that spring forth seeds of hope. The right breeze can blow the clouds away and deliver tomorrow’s rainbow.

May the good winds blow,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2001 Jennifer Avalon