But today I had an idea not about rainclouds, but about umbrellas. You see, life in this universe of ours isn't easy. We can't control the vast majority of things happening around us. The one constant of life on earth is that rainclouds will come. And, sorry to say, we will be mostly helpless to stop their approach.
 

At this moment in history (to borrow President Obama's favorite adverbial phrase), people are feeling the rain. For the first time in a long time, Americans are starting to remember what rainclouds look like. Our first instinct is to say, "I don't like this. I want to go back to chilling in the sunlight in my pool chair." We want to run and hide and mourn the loss of said pool chair. We have an overwhelming urge to kick reason and innovativeness out the door and to just scream bloody murder for the entire world to hear.
 

But that is where umbrellas come in. You can't stop the rain from coming, but you can buy an umbrella and open it. Just because most things are out of our control, that doesn't mean everything is. We can do a lot to control the things immediately around us. We can learn to be frugal (look it up in Wikipedia). We can learn to organize our lives and cut our waste. We can learn to put away more than a little something for a rainy day.
 

If there is one that is sure, it is that rainclouds pass. Don't bother freaking out. It's a waste of time, air, and usually resources. Trust in your ability to solve problems. You will be pleasantly surprised at who you've become when the clouds clear.
 

Well, I met a man today who was actually excited about the recession. He owns a landscaping business in Utah and sees this time as a chance to outpace his competition. While they are tightening their budgets and cutting down on advertising, he is able to find better deals on advertising and increase his market presence. When everyone else is frowning, Mr. Landscaping is grinning from ear to ear.

What's the difference between Mr. Landscaping and the grumpy masses? He saved his money when times were good and put a little away for times like these. He avoided taking on debt. Now, when the best opportunities are presenting themselves, he is in a unique position to take advantage of them.

While not all of us were smart enough to save during the good times (myself included), I think all of us can take a lesson from Mr. Landscaping: When rainy days happen, the winners are the ones positive enough to open an umbrella stand. The losers just stand there, mope, and get soaked.