Uncharted Territory

Time and the economy have pushed us into uncharted territory. According to this past Sunday's edition of 60 Minutes, over 16 million children are living in poverty in the United States, a quantity not seen since the very early 1960s. Families are living in cars, trailers, makeshift shelters in unprecedented numbers. There have never been this many unemployed for this long in our history. Families are forced to face their worst nightmares on a daily basis. I know-- I am one of the affected.

While I speak to many friends whose lives and lifestyles have barely been touched by the economy of the past couple of years, there are countless others who have felt the hardships. Children being yanked from schools because their parents can no longer afford their homes. Depression setting in. Bankruptcies, foreclosures, unplanned family moves, lay-offs, endless unemployment. Nuclear families are growing to include two and three generations under one roof. Urban Nomads are becoming much more commonplace, as people fight for survival and move to more fertile ground. Fertile for employment and a place for their kids to learn. Safe, secure. The US was once known as the country of opportunity. It is now a place for simple survival.

Have no doubt: we are swimming in uncharted territory and if we do not make course corrections very soon, we will drown. If our children continue to study without a global perspective, we will continue to spiral downward with no cultural compass. If we do not begin to re-build the infrastructure of our cities, and by doing so, employ masses of those currently unemployed, we will crumble. If we do not begin to harness the energy of our people, cultivate our resources, there will be no harvests to reap.

BUT there is good news: we have not yet drowned. We ARE able to swim. We ARE capable. There is still time to write the course and right the chart. Look around you. Stand up for what you believe. Do not take no for an answer. This is the moment when everyone needs to be counted.

Spend time in your children's schools. Write letters to your local politicians and make your voice be known. Spend time in a Food Bank. Give back and be a helping hand because only together can we re-build. Please.