12/04/08

November was a month of highs and lows.

by Beckye Randall

Even as the nation elected a president who held out the hope of a better future, we watched institutions crumble and foreclosure signs begin to pop up on our neighbors' lawns. The stock market continued its precipitous dive, taking our nest eggs with it and making even well-prepared retirement planners nervous.

Locally, we celebrated the end of the Boeing strike but mourned the loss of Meridian Yachts and Milgard Windows.

The community rallied behind food drives and came together to offer innovative programs for those in need, but more folks are standing in line for help than ever before. The local food banks and crisis intervention agencies are overwhelmed by the throngs of citizens knocking on their doors, many of them first-timers.

The tragic fire in Arlington that claimed the lives of Kyler Williams and Tyler Emory, and the untimely death of young Stormy Peters by her father's carelessness, seemed to bring a dark veil over the area's residents.

Yet, with all this doom and gloom, we have seen bright spots. Hundreds of volunteers pitching in to build a playground. Third Street packed with shoppers' cars for the annual Open House event. Gas prices under $2!

My family is not exempt from the economic turmoil. As small business owners, both my husband and I are well aware of the fact that money is tight and our customers are trimming their budgets. My four sons struggle to make ends meet, and one is still unemployed after six months.

But at our recent Thanksgiving dinner, each of us shared "thankful" thoughts and I was reminded again of the bounty in our lives. As Americans, we are blessed with the world's greatest treasure: freedom. As residents of the Pacific Northwest, we escape the annual horror of wildfires, tornadoes and hurricanes ripping through our neighborhoods. For the most part, our weather is mild without ravaging blizzards or blistering heat.

Our state's economy is diversified, with an emphasis on growing high-tech and pharmaceutical jobs that help mitigate manufacturing losses. Our leaders are concerned about the environment, committed to alternative energy technologies, and not afraid to give it to us straight.

I guess what I'm trying to say is...it could be worse. Much worse.

We have so much to be thankful for, and so much to celebrate during the coming holidays. Maybe we won't get that high-definition widescreen TV, but we'll admire the treasured heirlooms on our tree, enjoy a wicked family game of Uno Attack, and whisper a prayer for all those around the world who live with poverty and famine everyday.