Dear economy,
I fondly recall those memories of the exuberance and euphoria we shared-a steady 9% growth in our relationship (GDP) from 2003-08, those precious moments of laughter and elation when our love (sensex) entered a new epoch crossing the 10,000 points for the first time, and the satisfaction of seeing our budding love reach a new high (20,000 mark), threatening to overshadow the storybook wedding of our next door neighbor, Mr. China and the nubile Chinese economy.
Then fate interjected and it all came crashing down. It turned out that the family (financial institutions) of the proprietor (USA) of the building, blinded by greed and driven by a reckless ideology, had been gambling with very high stakes and when they lost their Midas touch, they also lost almost everything else. His brothers (Lehmann) were the first to go before he realized that he couldn’t survive if he let his family suffer for their consequences. So he began trying to support them (economic stimulus plans) but it was their innocent children (general population) who were once again at the receiving end. While earlier they too enjoyed a free rein but they never got to attend the grand ballroom parties (the lavish lifestyle of those financial giants) where the so-called elders ate and drank copiously. They had to contend with a slice of pizza at home. However now when those very lavish people couldn’t afford that epicurean lifestyle anymore, Uncle Sammy took even the last morsel of that pizza from the little children and gave them to ones who were responsible for the troubles in the first place. The Children had to settle for bread and water. The children no longer received their monthly pocket money (unemployment), had to share rooms because the roofs of some rooms leaked and there was no money to fix them (people losing their homes).
I also remember the fear and sadness we felt at their predicament, for everyone’s lives were intertwined to the owners in one way or the other. Mrs. China’s pizza place was the children’s favorite and it was feared that all that pizza might go to waste (shrinking export to USA). The Europeans who lived a floor above us were old money and their daughter had married into the owner’s family, and they had been quite extravagant at their daughter’s marriage. They had taken the shocking news quite badly indeed. Mrs. European was bed ridden with shock at their diabolical condition and was in a very fragile state.
However things didn’t turn out to be as bad for us as we predicted. First I was afraid that our children’s future (service sector) might be in jeopardy and hence the worry strained our relations and it might appear that the burning desire might have dimmed a little (sensex dropping to 9000 mark) but I have every faith that it is just a temporary phase we are going through and our feelings for each other are not ephemeral. We’ll come out unscathed and more in love than ever. We raised our children well and our strong roots and culture (regulation on financial institutions) have seen us through this tough phase of life. Although we may be facing some unwarranted hardships (oil crisis, food crisis, satyam scandal) but we are in this together and I am more than ever thankful for your support throughout our 61 happy years of marriage. I know you are in a vulnerable position right now and it pains me to see you toiling through this turmoil alone. I also know for a fact that you are a fighter and will not give in. We may be down and out for the moment but we’ll emerge the winners. I have faith in our children, we raised them well. They are no dweebs. They will outflank others and will accept their tryst with destiny with alacrity.
Also to think that this is a helpless situation is and let it cast a lugubrious shadow over us is ludicrous. Indeed this may turn out to be fortuitous for us. We have ample opportunity to spend some quality time with the family (investment in infrastructure, domestic market, increased public spending) and I know everyone’s looking forward to it.
And remember always(even though it may sound like a cliché ), you are one of the most amazing persons I have ever had the chance of knowing and your ravishing beauty, altruist nature and forbearance still leaves me spellbound. Being with you is one of the most edifying of experiences.
A happy valentine’s day and may there be many more.
Yours, now and always
India
