The New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today had headlines this past week about the falling stock prices. Why was this happening? Was China the culprit? What should an individual do? Financial advisors were receiving phone calls at record rates. Stress levels were rising. Many patients were having blood pressure problems from the worry being generated. I did not hear one good explanation. This will probably be an event that happens again down the road. What approach should we take? I do have a statement for release, placing the global situation in perspective.

There are many definitions of wealth or treasure. For some, wealth is material goods like money or stock, a car or vacation home, to others, wealth may be family, health, or even having control over ones’ time. For many, losing control over their treasures can be disturbing. Unfortunately this may have been happening last week. Personally, I would not have even known these events were occurring were it not for the media. Of course, if these events, or any event, stimulate the stress chemistry, this is not a good thing. I guess the question we should ask first is, what do you consider as treasure? What do you consider wealth?

When I think of treasure and wealth, I think of the verse in Matthew I learned as a child, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” It is not my wish for my heart to be with Wall Street. Sometimes the media hypes things up so much, perspective is lost and fear is induced, not so good for the heart. I wish the headlines from last week would have read something like this:

“The stocks have fallen greatly, but be of good cheer, our real treasures and wealth are in heaven and we can make deposits there that are forever safe. Make sure to continue to give water to the thirsty, feed the hungry, help the homeless, be with those who are lonely, encourage one another, help the sick, and put the interests of others ahead of our own and we will be just fine.”

We have a healing advocate that enables us to be, “anxious about nothing.”