- Originally written in Aug, 2011 -
"The future's going to be tough" my then 8 yr old had told me seriously one day, as he yanked my face to look at him instead of watching TV, glued as I was to CNBC as the anchors discussed the gyrating stock markets .
"Who told you?!" I asked him, surprised to see him reflecting the sentiments of some of the senior most analysts on TV.
"My teacher" he paused and that had my attention, as I was perplexed at the thought that his teacher might have taken the time to explain what was going on to third graders. "That's something" I thought. "What did your teacher talk to you about?".
"Next year we're going to have a shorter recess and if we talk too much in class, we're not going to get even that recess. So you must learn to listen more while in class - that's what she said to us" - he explained.
Now that made sense. How quick was I to jump to my own conclusion.
I wish his teacher had spoken to Washington, Wall Street,the Banks, the home-buyers, and to all of us caught in this undending see-saw of the futurecast of where the global economy is headed, whether we believe we have anything to do with Wall Street or not. All of us, from Washington to yours truly, were not listening, not paying attention to the signs. And now the "Future's going to be tough" as my son had predicted. As savings, retirement funds, houses we live in are in a state of constant jeopardy,the world as such would have to work harder and get less recess, I guess.
