But we think its all about politics when we can't get our way with oil. Big Oil Companies are reaping record profits at our expense!!! "So give us some cheap gas." (Kind of the same philosophy when the expensive Cocaine, was made cheap through crack.)

As an oil spill works its way through the Mississippi River, we are desperate for a fix, so lets drill off shore. "To hell, with God's creatures, lets drill in Alaska." We need our oil and we need it now!

I watch a TV ad for a foreign car that brags of 35 miles to the gallon. And people ask why can't American cars do that? They did! I drive an old beater back and forth to work - an '85 Olds Cutlass. It's a four cylinder and I get anywhere from 33 to 37 miles to the gallon. We did get that gas mileage - 23 years ago.

But we liked our fix. We needed bigger cars, bigger houses, everything bigger - it was part of our fix. Now we're going through withdrawals and we're mad! And I can't figure out why.

You see, when I was in the first or second grade in the mid 60s, I learned that oil was a non-renewable resource. I learned that someday we would not have any oil. We all new this over 40 years ago. But we kept our fix alive. We didn't change and like any addiction it became worse.

Withdrawals suck! But life after withdrawal is awesome. All it takes is some responsibility. The responsibility to say "NO, I won't do it anymore." For the alcoholic/addict to succeed they need to quit being a victim.

It is always kind of comical listening to an addict who no longer has an escape. They blame everyone for what has happened - except themselves. "Exxon's got all those big profits, they can give me some of it." "All the politicians are in a partnership with Big Oil, it's their faults!" That may be true , but it doesn't excuse us for our habits.

We knew this day was coming over 40 years ago. We need to say no to a new fix. Let me clarify that - we need to say no to a quick-fix.

Drilling for oil isn't the answer. The answer is getting rid of oil. It won't be easy. No addiction is. But it all starts by admitting to the problem. "We admitted we were powerless over oil, that our lives had become unmanageable."

When the alcoholic/addict starts their new life they don't have a five year or a ten year plan to stay sober. They have a desire for a better life filled with promises. We first need the desire for a better life. Easy? No. Will our children and grandchildren thank us for the difficult challenge that awaits us? For sure.

©2008DaveHarm