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Let’s Refuse to Live in Fear
By Phil Barker
That these are troubling times is an understatement. One cannot turn on the TV, radio or computer, or pick up a newspaper, without being reminded that a shift has occurred in the way we will be looking at things for a while… maybe forever.
The sad convergence of corporate greed with a uniform policy of government malfeasance helped convince people that the “streets of gold” were right here in the streets of America. It turned out to be “fool’s gold” existing in the form of debt. We, The People, should have been paying attention, but in too many cases, were not. Now, many of us are upside down in properties and personal loans, and are thinking that bad news is what our life is about. We’ve gone into economic hiding, and have taken on a besieged mentality.
So what do we do? As a businessman, I have friends in the Redding business community. Without exception, they are saying that they have not before seen business as “off” as it is now. In thinking about this, my first inclination was to say: “Well, yeah! Folks are scared!!
But, as I thought about it, it dawned on me that while that may be true, it is sad, because fear cannot produce a very satisfying existence. Anxiety can be crippling at worst, very uncomfortable at best. The siege mentality is about shortages and deprivation… not much fun.
My bride of 41 years, Kathy, and I were talking about this. We’ve lived through tough economic times, first as married college students (really poor); later, as I struggled to get a business up and profitable (it took years); later, when a buy-sell agreement selling the business was violated in order to rip us off (three years of litigation and totally broke, we finally won); a few bad investment decisions, but “Oh, well!” Now we are OK for the moment. Watchful, but OK.
But the conclusion we reached for ourselves is that we are not going to let fear, resentment, anger or disappointments rule our lives. In the first place, we are Christians, and none of those emotions are compatible with faith. Secondly, we enjoy life, we enjoy our friends, we enjoy spending money to have a good time, and, insofar as we have the ability, we will not be deprived.
We also decided that the restaurants, boutiques, bookstores, etc., that we enjoy need us more than ever to continue with our lives pretty much unchanged by the bombardment of negativism to which we are subjected.
So, we are going out! We are inviting friends! We are shopping as we always did. We are going to support the businesses in Redding because if we don’t, they are going to disappear, and the owners and their employees will suffer, as will we because they are no longer there!
We can’t do much about the national course of events and the bailout of our financial system, our auto industry, etc. (by the way, buy cars if you can afford to, but I am not talking about the kind of spending that produces debt). We can’t do much about government’s policies except voice our opinions and hope they register with someone. But we can do much in our town to mitigate the impact of these hard times. We just have to look inside ourselves, as well as outside ourselves, and proclaim:“We will enjoy ourselves to the fullest extent, and become a blessing to those businesses that have risked much to bring blessings to us - as well as profits to themselves and the community.”
Maybe we’ll see you out there!
Phillip Barker is retired from a chemical engineering company he co-founded. He and his wife, Kathy, own a small cattle ranch in Surprise Valley, Modoc County, that they bought in part “to teach the kids to work hard for low wages.” Their son and two daughters are all successful and happily married. (The ranch lessons paid off.) The Barkers tried to retire to Redding while they also kept and maintained the ranch and Kathy developed, owned and managed the former Oregon Street Tea Company. These days the Barkers help care for both their parents, their ranch and the Oregon Street building, and make as much time as possible for their grandkids.
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I totally agree. Just don’t pull out the credit card to do your shopping unless you can pay for it when you get the bill.
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Good thoughts. Good writing.
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Thanks for sharing your story!
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I especially like the inviting friends part. Remember to shop Redding and Shasta County to keep the tax dollars local!
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I would agree with most of the positive things proposed in this article. My only point of departure would be with the statement, “We can’t do much about government’s policies except voice our opinions and hope they register with someone.” Part of the reason we are in the position we are in now economically is the failed ideology of political leaders that put bottom lines and greed over the welfare of citizens. To ignore the causes and not take part in the repair work that needs to be done to make sure people issues are placed higher than the bottom line of Wal*mart and Costco in the future is only putting off what really needs to happen eventually. Now is the time to make real changes and help our community. Do you want your local government to use your dollars to build a new shopping complex on Oasis Rd. while it lays off firemen? Do you want to plunk another $20 million into the ill-conceived Stillwater “Business” Park, when there is no sign of recovery in this economy for years to come and Globalization/Privatization politicos are taking jobs overseas and corporations pay a fraction of their share of the taxes?
Yes, shop local. That doesn’t mean Wal*mart! Tell your representatives to represent you not the Chamber of Commerce or the World Trade Organization. This means at all levels of government. I guarantee that if 200 people show up at a city council meeting that demand real accountability and a change of ideology they would pay attention, especially when you make it clear that your support for their candidacy next time around is on the line.
Vote with your dollars by buying from local merchants ONLY!
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I have had the opportunity to work with the Barker’s and they are truly an asset to this community. Their shared wisdom and positive approach to life has had an impact on my own business and my personal outlook and I thank them for it! They have shown me first hand how to move forward in life without fear, rather with joy and with generosity in reaching out to others. Thank you Phil, for words well spoken!
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Great article. This is a good time to turn off the news, get back to basics and count our blessings. The cup is half full and half empty, just depends on how you look at it.
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Very nice article indeed! Fear….False Evidence Appearing Real….There is no doubt that this is a very difficult time…I think one would have to be delusional to not agree with times have Indeed changed in the last 2-3 years!
What we do during these difficult times and the way we think is critical! You get what you dwell on….if you dwell on lack every single day guess what you are going to get more of??? Yes, that is right- lack….Hats off to not living in fear and not letting the “Traditional Media” scare you to death….The traditional media is very good at what they have been trained to do….Sell negativity…that is what sells papers and makes people watch TV…(Those few that are still doing both).
Spend time with family and friends…know that with Faith it Will get better…it is just a matter of when and NOT if….
The glass is indeed half full….at least this glass!
Regards
Rick Goates
LUX Real Estate Group
Redding
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