Walking in the Valley A weekly column for those who live and walk in Silicon Valley by Barbara Dahlgren

The National Bureau of Economic Research met a few weeks ago to decide whether or not we are in a recession. Guess what they decided? We are. And guess what else? They decided the nation has been in a recession since last March. However until this official decision was made we weren't supposed to use the "R" word. We could say words like slump, dip, drop, lapse, lull, decline, hesitation, and lag but we couldn't officially say we were in a recession until officials officially verified that we are officially in a recession. Isn't that a little like having a group of doctors meet to decide whether or not a woman has had a baby even though she delivered it and is holding it in her arms?

"Excuse me, m'am. We are the official doctor's team. What is that you are holding in your arms? Is that the alleged baby?"

"This is my baby if that's what you mean. Isn't he beautiful?"

"Uh, we prefer not to officially use the "B" word until we've officially researched it further."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, m'am, we can say wee one, itty bitty thing, tiny nipper, little bitsy, or small fry. We never officially say 'baby' until we have officially decided that it is an actual 'baby.' You know what I mean?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. This is my baby."

"Yes, well, we will determine that, won't we? Now, exactly how did the tiny nipper come to you?"

"He didn't come to me. He was in my uterus and then my water broke. I had labor pains. I panted and pushed and out he came from my body."

"Uh, you say you had pain. Can you describe that for me?"

"Sure! It's sort of like pulling a doorknob through a keyhole. It hurts big time!"

"Ah, yes, well, I see the itty bitty thing has a head, eyes, a nose, ears, arms, legs, feet, toes, hands, fingers, thumbs, and oops, he squirts a lot, doesn't he? I'd better take note of that appendage, too. And what's that smell?"

"I'm changing his dirty diaper."

"Whew! That's potent! Well, I think I have all the information I need. A panel of experts will be meeting in a week or two and we will inform you of our decision."

"I don't need anyone to tell me that I have had a baby!"

"Well, m'am, we'll be the judge of that. Only then will it be official."

Experts try to tell us what to think and believe but we can make those determinations ourselves. When everyone is out of work and the stock market is way, way down, you're in a recession.

Officially speaking, since his birth, scholars have tried to discredit Jesus Christ (Luke 1-3). But Christ's birth fulfilled prophesies. It brought hope and salvation to mankind. And people didn't need learned theologians to tell them whether or not Christ was the Son of God. They made that determination themselves. The evidence was in the spread of Christianity. Today people who don't even believe in Christ celebrate his birth on Christmas for without Christ there is no real Christmas. And that's official!

©December 2001

Be sure to visit this page every week to read the next edition of Walking in the Valley. You can write to the author at bydahlgren@aol.com.