Much is being said about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, commonly referred to as a “stimulus package.” It is designed to “stimulate” the economy and hopefully lead to recovery. I really don’t understand how it works. I’m not an economist. Just a creative. If I was, I’m not sure whether I would agree with those who say this plan will work or those who say it won’t. It does seem to me that strategies to resolve these issues would have been much more effective if they had been implemented earlier. Whatever problems we face cannot be addressed as effectively in a climate of desperation.

What is the lesson for us? We can all benefit from a stimulus package. That package ought to include a regular dose of motivation, encouragement, compassion, and positive thinking. The intensity and commitment required for what we do has to be maintained. We must not wait until we’ve lost it completely and then try to recover.