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What Now?

© Mari Brodersen

Literally and figuratively, the dust is slowly settling after the terrible events of September 11. Our leaders urge us, as individuals and as a nation, to live our lives in a "normal" fashion. But the question of "how?" demands an answer. How do we return to living as if we are completely safe and secure? How can we ignore the fact that the travel, hospitality, and investment sectors are still reeling? We Americans have left our carefree adolescence and have entered, overnight, into careworn adulthood. Our boisterous, resilient, and open collective spirit has become somber and less trusting.

Before we can return to "normal" or, more likely, create a new "normal," we need to reassess our values, as a nation and as individuals. Where do we begin? Though I am a forward-looking person, I can't help thinking that perhaps some old-fashioned simple values can help us in our attempt to move forward.

Gratitude.What could be easier than saying, "Thank you"? Expressing gratitude for what we have, rather than fretting about what we don't have, opens a two-way channel between giver and receiver. This allows loving energy to flow both ways. For those who are more pragmatic, a simple "thank you" in exchange for a thoughtful gesture can bring people closer together.

Common Decency.If you watch old movies, you may see people holding doors open for each other or men tipping their hats in greeting. These outer expressions of common decency, along with "please" and "thank you," help to keep communities running smoothly. Such gestures indicate respect for other people as well as concern for their feelings. After all, good manners are simply treating other people as you would like to be treated.

Common decency takes many forms, such as offering to pitch in when you see that someone needs help. It means acknowledging other people, respecting others' opinions, listening to someone's story, or helping to pick up litter.

Green Living.Perhaps one of the most important simple values we need to express, as individuals as well as communities, is a concern for the planet which supports us. What can we give back to the earth? Composting, recycling, re-using, saving species from extinction, avoiding the use of toxic chemicals are a good first step. We can be more conservative in our use of resources. But we must go further and tap into sustainable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal.

Thrift.We might as well get used to it: conspicuous consumption is a thing of the past. So-called "status symbols" don't mean a thing if we must get into debt for them. Being thrifty doesn't mean being cheap. It means prioritizing how you wish to spend your money, and then spending only what you have.

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