Commentary
Economic trends have a greater effect on the human spirit than we often recognize. Commercial life, and signs of it, bolsters the human spirit while the reverse is also true.
As an example, my mother’s hometown in Texas often went through waves of booms and busts. When the boom times were there, everyone seemed happy to be surrounded by evidence of material progress. But when the busts came, it was the opposite. People were saddened and struggling. You could see it on their faces and hear it in their voices.
The tenor of the town changed dramatically with each cycle. It’s probably also true in your town too….