I read an article in a paper the other day grumbling about the way we measure prosperity in this country; and listening to the Chancellor delivering his budget confirmed what was written: all he cared about was economic growth, that our output was increasing as a nation.
The trouble is that economic growth does not equate to happiness. Never mind the unhappy rich(!); ordinary folk now seem to have no economic choice but for both parents to go out to work, so that they can simply have an average standard of living. We work longer hours in this country than most of our neighbours. First-time buyers can't afford a house in the place they grew up. So is economic growth really the best indicator?
Someone invented an 'index of well-being' instead. I must admit I didn't pay enough attention to see what it was made up of, but the conclusion of that index is that most people are no happier now than they were (say) thirty years ago, even though they have more money to spend. Economic growth therefore does not lead to happiness.

Perhaps the answer is to change, and instead of working for more and more money, we ought to work a bit more at making the place where we are a better place to live for all of us. Friendship is more fun than finance, and more and more people do seem to be coming out from behind their oversized hedges to join in with life. Jesus asked us to love our neighbours as ourselves - that sounds like a better idea than just loving our bank balances!                      STEPHEN