You just gotta love recessions. And if it’s called a depression, then so much the better. These are the times when all of our short sightedness is laid bare in the glaring light of “reality on planet earth.”

These are certainly not comforting words for the person who just lost a home or job, and certainly not for the person who lost a home and a job. Yet the handwriting for many was on the wall for a long time. Too much debt, too little savings, and a blind faith in others to make sure everything would turn out alright.

At the construction business level the same dynamics are at play. Companies that didn’t pay attention to how exposed they were are dying quick deaths. Others that didn’t modernize, find new efficiencies and broader customer bases are struggling. Still others are wringing their hands and fuming about how the economy has crumbled their dreams. The economy is really only the result of the collective actions of all the players interacting with it. So, it really isn’t the economy’s fault – it’s ours.

Yet, there are many construction businesses that are doing quite well. Over and over again we hear about how times like these actually end up making the survivors stronger and more resilient. These companies are taking advantage of low costs and stocking their larders with equipment, materials and supplies. They are adopting new technology that wrings out even more efficiency from their operations. And, they are carefully guarding their most valuable employees, while allowing those who haven’t been performing to find new interests with other employers.

So what’s to love about recessions, or depressions? They strip the value out of everything and cause us to scrutinize how we live, how we work, and just what we really value. They remind us of how tenuous our existence here is, and of how important it is for us to take responsibility for our own lives. And, they present opportunities that we might have missed otherwise.

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