Though I’m not typically a “Pollyanna” type, I find myself wondering if there isn’t a bright side to this economic downslide. I know I’m not alone in needing to find the silver lining to keep from getting depressed by reading, hearing and talking about all the different ways the sky is falling.

Is it falling though? Really? Or are we just coming to an inevitable crossroads forcing us to choose which direction we want to go as individuals and as a society? And is it really such a bad thing to come to terms with who you really are and who you really want to be?

For my money, what there is of it, we have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to navigate ourselves out of this economic mess in a way that is sustainable for future generations. This means really changing the way we do things. Real change, people. More...