"Something real is at stake in the pursuit of an illusion."

-- Louis Menard. Regrets Only. The New Yorker. 9/29/08. p. 85

How timely is Uncle Louie's comment. Even though it was said in a totally different context, it captures in a nutshell the current insanity happening both in Washington and on Wall Street. The illusion is the belief in a perpetually growing economy. It just can't happen, folks. Nothing grows forever, except perhaps the federal budget deficit.

The "something real" that is at stake here is the overall quality of life here in the good ole U.S. of A. Contrary to popular opinion, quality of life is not based primarily on how much money you make or how much stuff you have. Quality of life is based upon doing what you enjoy doing with people you enjoy doing it with.

When we chase the illusion of perpetual economic growth, we end up doing a whole lot of things we don't really like doing with a whole lot of people we really can't stand. We become bedfellows with both The Donald and George W, and everywhere we look all we see are assholes!

Look around you: What other illusions are you pursuing? The illusion of the perfect life, the illusion that you have one soulmate out there just waiting to be discovered by you, the illusion that money can buy you happiness, love, or health?

What's really at stake here is your own soul, for that's what your energy is. When you invest your energy in creating, maintaining or pursuing an illusion, you are sapping your soul of life itself, you are choosing fantasy over reality, and living a lie, whether you're conscious of it or not.

So, it's self-inventory time. Weed out those friggin' illusions! Laugh at their absurdity rather than mourn their passing. Death of an illusion is the birth of another little spark of reality. Chase Bank has it all wrong with their slogan, "Chase what matters." What matters never has to be chased. It's always alive and real, right here, right now.