>    The DOW Jones Industrial Average has been going up and down like a  roller coaster the past few weeks as news of the sub-prime mortgage market continues to be grim. It seems there’s daily “Breaking News” about sudden large losses followed by just as sudden rebounds.
    What’s going on, you wonder? Is this all a foreboding of things worse yet to come? Should you be withdrawing your finances from whatever investment vehicles you now have them in and converting to cash and gold, well hidden and quickly accessible in case of a collapse in the economic markets?
    Instead of pondering that intense question (bound to give you a migraine) I’ll give you one word to ponder: Hologram. That’s how I refer to all of the “news” we’re fed every day. It’s a giant web of images and, depending on where you’re standing (or how your consciousness is operating), it’s quite the different view.
    I remember in 2001, shortly after my father passed away, I had the responsibility of re-investing certain assets on behalf of my mother who survived him. After several discussions with well-informed financial analysts, I made my decision to invest some of the assets in relatively stable mutual funds. Then the bottom of the market fell out. I watched as the investment lost almost 50% of it’s worth overnight.
    We were not alone. Everyone took the hit. However, while some forcasted yet more dire future consequences and downturns, I just decided that it was a “long-term approach and, therefore, couldn’t be meaningfully evaluated in the short-term.
    This is not a bad analogy for all of Life…which is why I call the news we’re overwhelmed with a hologram.
    If you buy into all the negativity that’s being put out there every minute of every day then you’re going to see one kind of picture. But, if you’re willing to think for yourself and focus your mind and your energies on more positive aspects of existence, then you’re going to see quite another.
    Further, if you’re all about instant gratification, then what’s happening in the moment is all that really matters. Combining a negative view with instant gratification is a recipe for depression and hopelessness. To the contrary, combining a positive view with the patience to allow the longer-term picture to emerge is a recipe for joy and faith.
    Hhmmm…over here depression and hopelessness…over there joy and faith. Now what should I do?
    Well, it’s a no-brainer for me.  How about you?
    Oh, and that 2001 investment? It’s all back and even greater than itS orignal value.
    Maybe there is something to optimism and patience afterall.

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