+ and possible

I remember many years ago seeing the billboard that read, WAR IS OVER, if you want it. John and Yoko had the right idea. If you want it. Powerful words. We can make business ethical. We can temper the love of money. We can do this if we want it. As we head into the G20 meeting this week in London, we are presented with an opportunity. An opportunity to take a step over the bridge, towards a more mature global economy. To propose real solutions. To put our differences aside and embrace the rest of what makes us the same. If we want. The first time I saw the billboard, my heart jumped. I felt a real excitement and encouragement in those words. Suffering is over. If we want it. Maybe we only have one real power now: the power of the consumer. Do you buy veggies and fruit locally and in season? If you do, then you are taking a step toward using your consumer power. Back in the '80s we gave up strawberries to support the Chavez boycott. Consumer power is powerful. Where you spend your money counts. There are socially responsible credit unions and credit cards whose investments support pro-active socially responsible programs and initiatives. Where you spend your money counts. If we want it, we can ask for cooperation, negotiation, shared responsibility, and responsibility taken. We can use our power, our vote, our money to push and pull, open and close. We can use this historic moment to begin to change. If we want it we can move in a different direction. If we want. And what to do about the ones who are out of touch? When their profits fall, they will listen. We have the power if we want it. A little patience, a little reading, a vote here, a letter to your congressman here, cash spent thoughtfully, locally, responsibly. Sacrifices, yes. Solutions, too. This I believe: we can change things. But we have to want to. We have to believe. Without that, we are nothing, in the middle of nowhere, fighting for nobody. We have to want to change. That is the first step. This too shall pass. The question is, will we learn anything? If we want to, we will.