A quick parable to illustrate my perspective...
Suzy has a grandma, whom she loves very much. Mom tells Suzy that grandma is coming to visit soon. Suzy, being 3 or 4, is very excited and tries to wrap her little mind around the term "soon". Keeps asking "Will it be today?" "Will it be the day after today?" Mom, knowing it is a few days, keeps saying "It won't be long", etc.
Then mom discovers that Suzy can be motivated to do about anything if it is connected with "getting ready for grandma to come". Suzy, you need to clean your room to be ready for grandma. Suzy, help me put away your toys, grandma is coming. Suzy, you need to get a bath--don't you want to be clean for when grandma comes?
Then when that no longer has the kick that it did, mom slips in a new twist. Suzy, grandma doesn't like it when you don't clean your room. Suzy, grandma won't come to see little girls who don't take their baths without whining. Suzy, you must not want grandma to come anymore--you are leaving your toys lying around.
etc, etc. Every time a plane flies overhead, or every time a car pulls into their driveway, mom says "Suzy, look! Just think, that will be grandma someday! Suzy--that is a sign that grandma will be here before we know it! Suzy, quick, I hear a bus--you better not do that--wouldn't you be ashamed if grandma came and you were doing that?
Days, weeks, years go by. Mom is still saying that grandma is coming "soon" and you better do such and such to be ready, but for Suzy, who has kids of her own now, the words don't mean much anymore. . .
Suzy talks to grandma on the phone every day, and sends emails and pictures of her kids, and though she would love to see grandma face to face, she knows her voice and is familiar with the reasons why grandma can't come right now, and that is enough. Whether she comes or not doesn't change how Suzy relates to grandma day to day. She is no longer "getting ready" for grandma. She is ready. If grandma popped out of nowhere and landed on Suzy's porch, it would not alarm her, because she knows grandma.
Author
Topic: Another perspective on the US and International Economic future (Read 23108 times)
