As a global society, we’re going through some tough times. Some days it feels like we’re in a rut and we’ll be stuck here forever. I want to remind you that whatever difficulty you are experiencing in your life- this too shall pass.
On this day, March 4th, 2010, do you recognize these words below?
“In such a spirit on my part and yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds are faced with serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no market for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone.
More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.
Yet our distress comes from no failure of substance. We are stricken by no plague of locusts. Compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered because they believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for. Nature still offers her bounty, and human efforts have multiplied it. Plenty is at our doorstep, but a gracious use of it languishes in the very sight of the supply.
Primarily, this is because the rulers of the exchange of mankind’s goods have failed through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure and abdicated… They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish. The money-changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that civilization to the ancient truths.
The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit. Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.
The joy and moral stimulation of work must no longer be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and our fellow men… “
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Do you know when this was said and by whom? Perhaps his original introduction will help you….
“This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive, and will prosper. So first of all let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
Okay, now do you who said this? If you are still uncertain, I’ll give you a big hint- this was said on March 4th, 1933, exactly 77 years ago today. It was part of the first Inaugural Speech of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, yet his wisdom seems so timely today.
As you may remember, when FDR was elected president the USA was in a depression. In this address, FDR “sought to banish the fear of the present and of the future which held the American people and the American spirit in its grasp.”
So today, 77 years later, I’d like to thank FDR for these timeless words of hope and wisdom. Just as dark times passed 77 years ago, whatever you might be experiencing right now shall also pass. As Annie said, “The sun will come out tomorrow.” And tomorrow is now. Put fear aside and remember, we still have so much to be grateful for.
And today, just like 77 years ago, we have an opportunity to reach out to our fellow man around the world. It is in that spirit that I ask you, “What can I do for you today? How can we be of greater service to you?” Please share your thoughts and musings below in our comment section.
We’re here at InspireMeToday.com and on Twitter to help you stay inspired throughout the day. Please, reach out and let us know how we can best serve you. We care, we appreciate you and we love you.
Hugs,
Gail
Remember also, Man does not live by bread alone, Although we must strive to prosper for it is the nature of the world, it’s a good time to take stock of the things which really matter in life,family, friends,etc.
F.D.R said it so perfectly in those last two lines it’s worth repeating
The joy and moral stimulation of work no longer must no longer be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark says will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and our fellow men… “
Very apropos Gail
Thank You 🙂
We will endure if we do as you mention and persue happiness, not in material goods, or “mere possession of money” we need to learn to live in the joy of our achievements. Those “achievements” could be thinking positive instead of the ” grim problem of existence.” That is what I do. I live day by day, doing what I can to stay in the moment for when I get caught up in WHAT IF, I will only defeat myself. What if I cannot pay my bills, what IF I do not have enough fire wood to keep me warm this winter, What IF I can not find work. I have to remind myself truley “That this too will pass.”
We need to banish the fears in our lives. It holds us back from the potential that might be waiting right around the cornor. It is not always an easy thing to do when faced with your reality. What is helpful is trying to find SOMETHING that you are grateful for. ANYTHING. The sun shinning through the trees. That the hawk landed safely in its nest today. That I DO have wood to make a fire today.
I feel that we are in an age where awareness of what is truly important is waking up in people today. Times like this accelerate that process. Not how many cars you have. It is how you love yourself, love others, love our planet, how you give what you can when you can. People are changing the way they feel about life. I pray those changes stay with them for as this DOES PASS, it would be great that people remember the lessons they have learned.
THIS TOO SHALL PASS is a great blog Gail. It is a wonderful reminder when things “feel” hopeless. That every effort you have put out there and not yeilded any return that those feelings will pass. So I ASK YOU WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU TODAY.
Sam, thanks for your love, support and kind words. I so agree with you- the last two sentences are the reason I included FDR’s brilliance. He was a smart guy.
Raven, thanks for sharing your wisdom too. I’ll get back to you on the “what you can do” part, okay? 🙂
Big hugs to both of you-
Gail
Gail,
Thanks for your daily inspiration. In all times but especially times like these, we must be reminded of the power of hope. FDR’s words are timeless and remind us that we will overcome and come through the current global recession stronger in faith and hope.
Susan
We all are sharing real tough times out there right now and I do agree with you that there are better and brighter days ahead. Perhpas the most most important lesson we all have realized and learnt in the past two years is that people do matter and yes we have realized who are the special people in our lives and why they are important to us.