wind blows deeply

I am really at a loss for words since seeing this commercial for the first time a few weeks ago.

We are a nation of consumers. And there's nothing wrong with that. After all, there's a lot of cool stuff out there. The trouble is there's so much cool stuff it's easy to get a little carried away. If that happens, this material world of ours can stop being wonderful and start getting stressful.

But what if a credit card company recognized that? What if they admitted there was a time to spend and a time to save? What if, instead of encouraging us to spend more, they actually helped us spend smarter? Maybe then we could have a better quality of life and be in a better financial position while we're living it. We could have less debt and more fun. And this material world could get a whole lot brighter.

And there's nothing wrong with that. Really? Seriously?!?

Apparently this must work. If you appease my guilt about buying that pair of shoes, or the latte, or the trip to the Caribbean, instead of supporting my local soup kitchen, animal shelter, after school program or even the starving child in Africa ... if you appease my guilt, I will feel better by waiting to buy the shoes on sale.

Maybe if we spend smarter my life will be better and I will enjoy it more. Materialism and spending and consumerism aren't really that bad, right? Or maybe just a necessary evil that we can spin to suit our fancy.

What if we instead found a different adjective to describe the nation? A nation of peacemakers. A nation of those who serve the neediest in our midst. A nation of honesty and love and reconciliation and compassion. What word would you want?