Looking Up in a Downward Spiral

It’s really hard to find good news these days, most particularly for those of us living on fixed incomes – we look at the stock market and try hard not to panic, but it’s not easy. Greece, Italy, England, Spain, et al — when we were children we had no idea that our financial survival could depend on the countries our ancestors left behind. Nevertheless, we must remain optimistic about the future and keep smiling because our emotional survival depends upon our having a positive outlook on life.  Of course, for financial information, please be sure to check out Phil Pennell's column daily in the Forum of the Financial Section:  http://tos50.com/node/12049, or Michael Berlin's monthly article, http://tos50.com/story/indebtedness-problem-wont-go-away, to keep abreast of the latest financial information.
 
So what is there to be positive about? Well, I think it’s important to focus on the particular rather than the big picture. This may sound corny but it is nevertheless true: children are being born, and in many cases they’re our children or grandchildren; they are our hope for the future, and perhaps they will achieve all those wonderful ideals that we have been striving for throughout our lives that remain undone. Our generation was responsible for moving civil rights forward and for ending what we believed was an unjust war in Vietnam. We fought the battle for equality for women and minorities. In this regard, while we may not yet have achieved total fairness for everyone, we certainly can be proud of what we have accomplished. However, rather than rest on our laurels, it was and is our job to create a world where our aspirations and our passions are passed on to the next generation — and to hope that while our children gain inspiration from our successes, they also learn from our mistakes and thus allow their own ambitions to make this world a better place to live in for the generations that will follow. We can help the economy by purchasing a gift for our children, but most important, we can help make the world a better place to live in by passing on to our children the gift of knowledge along with our dreams for a better tomorrow.
 
I am very excited to report that www.tos50.com, our exciting website geared toward those on “The Other Side of 50,” sent out its first real newsletter which was well received. This newsletter and those that follow will point our viewers to what is happening on the website.
 
The www.tos50.com E-store has some great new products. In keeping with the ideals of the baby-boomer generation, many of the items on sale in our E-store, http://tos50.myshopify.com/, support the charities that we are involved in. Our pet supplies support the North Hempstead Animal Shelter, http://tos50.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/squueze-me-furry-chipmonk-for-your-dog, while our picture frames, scarves and lunch bags support GASAK (Grandparent Advocates Supporting Autistic Kids). If you or your children/grandchildren need an insulated lunch bag, please be sure to see our colorful, popularly priced supply: http://tos50.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/lunch-bags-insulated-1.
 
Have a great week, and remember to visit us at www.tos50.com, the website for the baby-boomer generation and for all of us on “The Other Side of 50.”
 
Sandy Tankoos, President and Founder
www.tos50.com