It’s another black day on Wall Street as stocks tumble and, another black day for me as I watch my retirement go south.   This entire summer, as the stocks have jumped up and down, my stomach has been in knots.

I can’t imagine what it was like on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, when the stock market crashed.  All this has caused me to get out my history books and study up on the Great Depression.

These are a few of the causes that led to the Depression that I found:

1.  High consumer and business debt.

2.  Ill-regulated markets.

3.  Natural disasters such as the Dust Bowl and the 1926 Miami Hurricane.  This created a downward economic spiral of reduced spending and production.

4.  The malfeasance (wrong doing) of bankers and industrialists.

5.  The loss of confidence in the economic future.  This skepticism caused a decline in stocks.

Hmmmm.  Does this sound and feel familiar?  Does history repeat itself?

For along time, I have wanted to simplify my life… which includes unloading a lot of junk from my home and unburdening myself with unneeded responsibilities.  Looks like I’m going to be busy cleaning up my own backyard as the country evaluates its priorities.

Amid of all this unrest… I have a lot to be grateful for.  I have 4 wonderful children and 14 beautiful grand kids…with another on the way.  And… I still believe we live in the greatest county in the world.  We’ll get a handle on this… someway… somehow….just like they did over 60 years ago.

Till Later,

Kathy Griffiths

Insightful Nana

P.S.  How do you view the unrest?  Love to hear from you.