Scary Times

Recently the following piece "found me" and I felt I should pass it on.

Once upon a time there was a young warrior. Her teacher told her she had to do battle with fear. She didn't want to do that. It seemed too aggressive; it was scary; it seemed unfriendly. But the teacher said she had to do it and gave her instructions for the battle. The day arrived. The student warrior was on one side, and Fear stood on the other. The warrior was feeling very small, and Fear was looking big and wrathful. The both had their weapons.

The young warrior roused herself and went toward Fear, prostrated herself three times and asked. "May I have permission to go to battle with you?"

Fear replied, "thank you for showing me so much respect that you asked permission".

Then the young warrior asked, "How can I defeat you?"

Fear replied, "My weapons are that I talk very fast, and that I get very close to your face". "Then you get completely unnerved and, and you do whatever I say." "If you don't do what I say, then I have no power". "You can be convinced by me but if you don't do what I say, I have no power."

In that way the student warrior learned how to defeat Fear.

We are certainly in scary times and we need to understand and respect the fear that is present in the markets at this time. Yet, we need to also recognize the impact that Fear has on us and our judgment and how our decisions will impact our long-term financial futures. Can we all acknowledge and respect our fear and still chart a course to a better and calmer time? I believe we can and will.