the grass on this side

we are living amidst what will soon go down as the biggest economic boo-boo after the great depression in the 1930s. banks are collapsing around us, the US feds and some of the top executives of the thus-far-top companies have been working 24-hour-days to save the last dregs of their stocks, and some very rich people have suddenly become paupers. 

whatever else it may have in terms of lessons to learn, it sure has taught a lot of people the value of gratitude and the fact that the grass is not always greener on the other side. until a couple of weeks back, making it into merill lynch or lehman brothers called for a bottle of champagne - now, many of the bankers are probably putting up their stock of wine on ebay to pay off their debts. 

i was reflecting on this, and thanking the unseen heavenly forces above that my not-so-highly-paying job can at least still help to pay for my rent. i went to see my boss about something, when this issue cropped up (its sad and bad, but its the talk of the town), and he put an even bigger spin on it - 'imagine if you were a rising executive in lehman, who recently bought a posh flat in manhattan - now you're broke, your wife wants to divorce you, and all the stocks that made you a millionaire are worthless.' 

i am not suggesting that the rest of the world celebrate - it would be in bad taste. neither do i suggest passing hats around to start a help-the-bankers-fund - they were the smartest of us all, they will find a way to survive. 

what i do want to say through this ramble of words is this - the grass is not always greener on the other side. if it is, it may just be made of plastic!