It may come as no surprise that this week, like most others, has generated several articles about the economy, the depressed housing market, and the next wave of foreclosures. We're all in the middle of this recession, we can see the signs everywhere we look. As a blogger, I have certainly spent a lot of time reading these articles and writing about them.
It gets a bit depressing at times.
At times like this, we can't always rely on the powers that be to fix things for us. Sure, we can inject money into the economy, fund public works projects, etc. At the end of the day, however, we are still left looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. Recovery from a crash takes a while. This recovery may take quite a long time.
Fortunately, in the meantime, we can act locally to try and improve things for ourselves. Buying from local vendors directly infuses cash into the local economy. Getting involved in our communities allows us to provide services via volunteering that can't be covered by underfunded programs.
You also have people who act locally and anonymously to bring hope and happiness to others. Here is a person who deserves more exposure. Pittsburgh resident Laura Miller has been operating as Secret Agent L for a little over a year. She took a simple idea, random acts of kindness, and turned it into a blog. She now has over 80 affiliated agents across the U.S. and in other countries who are doing the same thing. While leaving a flower on a windshield or a roll of quarters in someone's basket at the laundromat may not seem like much, it's these kinds of efforts that can bring a bit of light to a grey and dismal time.
What are you doing to improve things in your community? Sometimes altruism can be the best medicine.
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