grace grits and gardening

Today is a big day. 

Yes, today is New Year’s Eve and my husband’s birthday. But today is also the day we fall over the Fiscal Cliff into new territory. 

My only cliff jumping experience involves summers spent at the lake. Jumping into the serene waters of Lake Norfork in Mountain Home, Arkansas is not the same as falling into economic uncertainty caused by the political muck and mire of Washington DC.  But it’s my only basis for comparison.

In a nutshell…

Standing on the edge of the cliff can be intimidating, especially when the lake water is low from drought. Further to fall…one mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi YIKES! The hike to the top is invigorating, don’t look down, one step at a time, the sun warms my skin, the rocks glisten like quartz. I didn’t realize how far down the water would be… The lake is beautiful and expansive. But so far to fall…

It’s too late to change my mind. I can’t walk back down, no way. I should have thought it through better before I got to this point. No choice now but to jump. 

The angle of entry is critical. A straight stiff body with tightly held arms glides into the lake smoothly but the water is deep and cold and dark before re-surfacing. 

Jumping with loosey-goosey arms and legs is never a good idea. The water slaps and stings the skin, maybe even bruising. Boaters gathered in the cove all moan a collective “OUCH!”

Diving? Heaven forbid! This ensures a nose full of water which is never a good feeling. But my sinuses will be clean, unless I break my neck on an unseen rock deep on the bottom of the lake.

The choices…

a) the scheduled tax increases and spending cuts go into effect, resulting in decreased deficit and rapid recession with loss of jobs and broken necks; 

b) some or all of the scheduled tax increases and spending cuts are cancelled, resulting in continued soaring, bruising debt and a potential crisis like that of Europe; 

c) something in the middle—a compromise with higher taxes and reduced spending to lessen the impact on growth. (deep dark cold but more smooth)

Regardless, I’m afraid we will get a snoot full of water before we re-surface.