True holiday spirit is the silver lining

Unemployment is rising. Price deflation is evident, which has good and bad consequences. A good consequence is the value of a barrel of oil is struggling to stay above $50.00, thus pushing a gallon of gasoline to below $2.00 in some parts of the country. A bad consequence is the continued decline in home prices, corporate profits, wage declines and deflated consumer confidence.

Retirement accounts have been slashed by a minimum of 40 percent and look to be heading toward 50 percent declines before year end. All of this is happening as we come to the most cherished of Christian holidays, Christmas. Is there any doubt that the true meaning of Christmas will truly be in focus this season as opposed to the obscene commercialism that normally kicks off with the "Black Friday" sales events the day after Thanksgiving?

This Christmas will require that the holiday greeting, "Merry Christmas" resound throughout our places of business, school and social gatherings. "Good will toward men" takes on added importance as fear and uncertainty take hold of our collective psyches. Let us return to our religious upbringing and extend the "Merry Christmas" greeting to one and all. For those of different religious beliefs please do not take offense or think the greeting is meant to be disrespectful of your particular religion. Take heart in the goodness that is the underpinning of the best wishes extended by a holiday tradition that is needed more than ever today.

Steve Sarich

Grayslake