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By Susan Ann Darley
What's going on? This is America the land of plenty. And plenty there is - plenty of debt. In-fact, there are oodles and oodles of it. The average American family has over $7,000 of credit card debt. Our gross national debt is 9.3 trillion dollars. Living beyond our means is a personal and national pastime. We are a nation of debt-junkies. The famous line from the movie Mrs. Robinson, "Go into plastics," was visionary. Plastic spending now accounts for an estimated $1.5 trillion.
What the heck, plastic allows us to satisfy our primordial urge for instant gratification. And in spite of inflation and a probable recession, like addicts we continue to use. Now, however, millions of people are using their personal credit cards to make ends meet. Just stick your little plastic finger in the dyke and it will all be OK. Will it? A seemingly dark cloud is causing a hangover on our usual sunny optimism that things will be better next month. Why won't it go away? Be gone cloud - you have no right to be here. This is America the land of entitlement. Guess what, "Beam me up Scotty." won't work. What is being unveiled is the land of reality. I could become high and holy and talk about universal abundance, which surrounds us, but accessing this abundance comes with requirements. The first one is sobriety - not the current out-of-control spending by consumers, government and corporate America. One of the first requisites to enjoying an abundant and balanced life is to balance your checkbook - consistently. A funny thing happens when you look at your finances. Meaning what you are earning, spending, saving, investing, borrowing and pretending is there. What happens is the dark cloud begins to disperse. Halleluiah brother. It's not as scary as you think. The light slowly filters through the cobwebs covering your calculator. With each keystroke newfound clarity begins to emerge. "Oh, oops. The Build a Million Dollar Business seminar cost $3,000 not $300. Umm, my daily lattes do add up. What is this charge for $125? Wow these shoes are killing my feet." I remember it as if it was yesterday, long walks in the fog, shivering with fear and a sense of impending doom, harebrained decisions to start yet another business. Funny how plastic can be justified if it's a business expense. It sounds so grown up. But Monopoly money is play money for a children's game. It's not real. Another bubble bursts. Santa and the Easter bunny were hard enough. I wonder what bubble will burst for Bush and his cronies over the $9 trillion national debt? Yes, growing up is difficult for even those with money. Wait. There is an antidote that's not so hard to swallow after you get used to it. Self-appraisal. In dire circumstances it almost always leads to honesty and accountability. Yikes - that is full-fledged adulthood. A student of mine once said, "Perhaps the United States is in the teenage years." Metaphorically a teenager makes perfect sense. They know it all; want it all, they can't be told what to do. Mix in a dash of arrogance with a live for today attitude and you have the perfect potential client for MasterCard. But attack of the plastic is everywhere. My wallet is filled with annoying little cards that spill to the dark floor of my purse when checking out of the market. As I glare at the cashier while groping for the right one I'm told these slippery pieces of plastic offer me untold savings. Then how come from week to week my bill climbs higher? "Go into plastics" the wave of the future. It will float you through thick and thin. It will save you from having to touch money and God knows where it's been. Which card would you like - King Midas, Mr. CEO or Pink Princess? There now, don't you feel better. It's just an extension, a small loan you might say, just enough to stroke your ego over and over. Feels good doesn't it? Here add just a little more to keep your head stuck in the sand. Where does this end? Fasten your seatbelts because we're in for the ride of our lives. But I'm not afraid. I'm excited because I've heard at the end of the ride there is a huge pot of gold. www.susananndarley.com Susan Ann Darley is a creativity coach and freelance writer who lives in Sierra Madre.
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