by Eugene Yoon

If you’re like me, you’re probably twiddling your thumbs as you anxiously watch the Dow plummet down, down, and further down. With no foreseeable end in sight, I advise you to not sit near a window in the case that another bad day in the market persuades you to jump out. However, if you already find yourself with one foot outside the window ledge, and the other inside your apartment reading this blog, then let me give you an inspirational tid-bit — you’re not alone. Just know that there is a fellow Zimbabwean with his hand extended because he understands your pain. New York Times reported that “Zimbabwe’s inflation rate, already one of the highest in world history, rose from an annual rate of 11 million percent in June to 231 million percent in July.” In comparison to their economic situation, the American crisis, even in its darkest hour cannot empathize. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to smooth over any punches and say that what we as Americans are going through is not a brain-wrenching struggle. All I’m simply trying to do is shed some light and turn a bad situation into an opportunity to understand the world around us — a world that is much less privileged than ours. So, if you’re still standing outside the window, get back inside and trust me — in the end, everything will be okay.

takepart with garden africa, an organization that helps Zimbabweans plan their own gardens to sustain themselves

(Photo: Gregor Rohig Flickr’s photostream)