As mentioned before, a Global Economy has and always will be essential. By all means, there are certain products that I buy from other countries. Let’s just say I have a taste for German Chocolate, Italians make super cool shoes etc. But I still try my very best to support the USA and make an extra effort to allow my spending dollars to stay here.
Read the Tag
I am blessed to be able to travel all over the USA. I live to explore, especially nature and I’m an open road lover. So, while I’m visiting other states, or National Parks etc. it’s fun to check out the gift shops. Regardless if it’s a postcard, a little magnet or t-shirt I enjoy helping tourism. However, it irks me to no end to see American Themed Trinkets made elsewhere. What? With all our talent here we can’t make our own Red, White and Blue trinkets?
Go Privately Owned
Sometimes when you’re held captive in an airport or a major city, there is no choice but to eat out or gather food at a chain restaurant. Whenever I can, I like to visit a locally owned and run restaurant. St. Louis is known for our delicious array of choices, and now, more than ever, with all the rules and regulations, these folks are hurting. So visit them or use their curbside take out. Keep your money as local as you can.
Help Others As Much As You Can
Look, we all have limited time, only a few hours if any, to spare and it’s not always easy to fit time into volunteer. Please still do though, it means everything. If you can provide business advice, coaching, teaching or even helping a fellow American, we all give back and you know it. Case example; I came back from a Weekend Trip, only to find a huge branch fell from my tree barely missing my house. As I drove up my driveway, my young neighbor, who is pretty private, was outside. He had moved and bagged as much of the limbs as he possibly could. He said, “Kirsten, I’m so sorry you came back to deal with this, and I know you work early tomorrow.” I could have just cried, not because of the tree, but because a neighbor, I barely know, took hours of his time to try and make my life a little better. Remember that guys? Neighbors helping one another? Let’s bring it back.
Last but Not Least ~ Get Involved “Gulp” More
Why does it take a huge issue (You know what I’m talking about) to realize with all our American Talent, suddenly we’re short on TP, Hand Sanitizer and other “essential” goods? By all means I am not an Economic Major and understand there are so many factors involved in the Supply Chain. What if it comes right down to being fair and working together? We must be open-minded with our wages but understand we are still competing. We must ask some questions of ourselves such as , what if we paid $2.00 to $10.00 more for an item if it was manufactured here in the US? Would it break us? Last but not least, we should at minimum get involved with our local business’, politics and community.
In conclusion, I celebrate the diversity in this gorgeous and flawed “Melting Pot”. I love our people and our history. One of my very favorite quotes is, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy Maybe we should think on that.
