This afternoon my financial advisor held a conference call with 30 of his clients to reassure us about the market and to advise us to stay the course. While describing his faith in the United States its ability to rebound economically, the man we all hire for clear-eyed, sober analysis, had to pause several times because he was crying.
I spoke with him shortly afterwards—he happens to be my brother in law—and nearly broke down myself while reading to him the following quote, dug up by my U.K.-based freelance speechwriter colleague Brian Jenner.
It comes from the late great broadcast impresario Alistair Cook, who I believe but can't confirm was saying it about the Great Depression:
“In the best of times, our days are numbered anyway. So it would be a crime against nature for any generation to take the world crisis so solemnly, that it put off enjoying those things for which we were designed in the first place: the opportunity to do good work, to enjoy friends, to fall in love, to hit a ball, and to bounce a baby."
What's getting you through the night these days?