May 2025

May Thought of the Month

"Never underestimate the future. It's all we have to look forward to."

~ Skeleton Warriors episode narrator

When our situations are stable — great job numbers, business growth, affordable lifestyles, a functioning supply chain — it's easy to look forward to our futures because we can reasonably expect things will get better as we go along. When instability dominates — high prices, job losses, rumors of shortages, business closings — it's hard to see any brightness in our futures. But we have to find ways to keep up our fortitude because the future is unavoidable.

There is one unchangeable truth in life. The future will get here, whether we're ready for it or not. When we are young, the future seems too far off to even consider. As we grow older, we realize that the future is always imminent. It arrives in seconds, minutes, days, decades, even eons. Dealing with that future is like eating a huge meal, we get it done one bite at a time.

Don't dwell on the enormity of what may happen, focus on what you can control now. For example, set up or contribute more to an emergency fund, dedicate part of your grocery budget to buy shelf stable foods for a pantry, find and shop nearby farmers' markets. If time allows, participate in a community garden. You can even try growing food crops at home. If all you have is a sunny window you can grow your own herbs and some veggies. You can find all kinds of help with gardining, food storage, financial strategies, and more online.

Looking at what the future may hold through the lens of hard times can leave us overwhelmed. The best strategy to get passed uncertainty so we can act is to deal with life one day at a time and make plans that prepare us for the weeks and years ahead of us.

[Thought and image design by Elaine C. Oldham]