The Monkeys get it...Hang in There

The trail welcomes us again, each time from a little higher altitude as we climb deeper into the island’s interior. For a moment it has broken open on a rocky outcropping and pulled back its green vale. We can see our ship moored in the harbour below.

It is getting smaller as we ascend; its sturdy patience awaiting our return. It rests in very shallow water; it must be low tide with the moon exerting it's influence.

Crew members are carrying a heavy load on their backs, an unusual heavy load. Their solid frames carry it well but why? It is revealed that they are carrying as much as they can as we may not be heading back to the ship.

Rumours have it that what the captain is doing is for a very specific reason, yet the crew have never seen him act quite this way before. It does seem an unusual amount of time on land for individuals who have the calling of the sea in their hearts.

Thoughts of the yesterday’s deficit have been rambling around in my mind. I remember that each deficit gets added to all the previous deficits to create the total debt owing. $1.6 Trillion deficit, what is a Trillion, my mind has nothing to grab on to, nothing to put that number into context.

I look around and no one seems to be that worried about it. The occasional fringe pointy head seems concerned but not the government or the banks or the media or our parents or neighbours or friends. In fact just like the weather on this island, the economy seems to be getting better and better. The storm is passing and good times, while arriving slowly, are getting closer.

The next station they will probably give us the total number of the outstanding debt. What will we do with that number? Will it mean anything to us? How much debt is too much debt, how will we know? How many years are they going to say that our debt is a problem?

As if to read our mind, one of the crew members pulls us aside and asks us to be patient, it will all be pulled together soon and our questions will be answered. He goes on the say that things have fundamentally changed, some of which we have a sense of, and that few people will understand it and be prepared.

What we are learning are new building blocks that will serve us for many years to come.

The monkeys seem to get it, atleast they are hanging in there!