Spring officially arrived in Chicago at 6:44 CT this morning, March 20, 2009. I have to say that I can’t recall ever being more excited about spring’s arrival than I have been this year. I was giddy when my husband and I spotted the first robins of the season in our backyard last weekend and was nearly delirious when I noticed tiny patches of green in our flower beds (granted this greening vegetation are weeds that I will pull in a few weeks, but at this point, green is green).
Let’s face it; it has been a depressing winter. In the Chicagoland area it has been bitterly cold and snowy for months. The economy has been in shambles…stress and worry has been as abundant as the ice itself.
The miracle of spring’s arrival seems to be bringing yet another form of thawing…the thawing of our economy. Just as we are in the very early moments of spring (in Chicago we have another solid six weeks of yucky weather in front of us), the economy seems as though it could be showing the very initial signs of life.
I attended INTERPHEX, a pharmaceutical industry trade show, this week. Several of the capital equipment companies serving the pharmaceutical industry reported that projects in the industry are starting to inch forward again. Some of these capital equipment companies have not had an instillation of significance for more than 13 months. I am hearing similar reports from colleagues working in other industries. In February, retail sales were higher than expected and the credit markets seem to be continuing to thaw.
Three to four weeks ago I was of the mindset that this recession could easily grind on well into 2010. Could the arrival of spring be prompting the shedding of our economic doldrums along with the shedding of our winter parkas? Maybe.
Personally, I feel a little more apt to think about a brighter future when I am not freezing to death just trying to get to work in the morning. I may even call my financial planner on Monday and put a little bit of cash I have been squirreling away (to buy guns, ammunition and canned goods if necessary) into the stock market.
Each year there seems to be a painful delay between the initial promises of spring and the arrival of consistently nice weather. This will certainly hold true for our economic recovery as well—early signs of life followed by plenty more dreary days.
But, the spring thaw does offer a welcome reminder that this too shall pass.
4 comments:
Amen!
Well its a long time the recession has started and everybody have came to know its bitter effects.As a result every country is now trying to control it.I think its a matter of time for things to return to normalcy again.
I agree with Neo and I also like the title of the post.I think the downward trend of the share markets or the financial market have come to a halt.It will take some time for the market to pick up again and return to normalcy as this an International phenomenon and I also believe that this economic problem was the result of year long wrong activities.So defiitely it will take time.
Thanks
The rippling effect of recession can no longer be felt, as it is fading away slowly but surely. People have now become optimistic and are spending money once again which is certainly augur well for the ailing world economy in the long run. If we work together, I believe that we will be able to do something different in coming years.
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