For some strange reason, when I saw this photo it reminded me of the U.S. economy. After following the debt ceiling debacle last week and now the stock market roller coaster of the past few days, it feels like our country is simply patched together. Like this old shed, with a variety of forces—rust, termites and wind, to name a few—on the brink of bringing it down, the United States is struggling to remain standing straight and tall.

While I’m optimistic that our leaders will eventually pull together to help our economy recover, I’m sad for those who are negatively affected in the interim, including those older Americans on fixed incomes who rely on their investments to keep a roof over their heads. Whatever happens, though, I just try to remember that although the outside may no longer be attractive, there’s still a firm foundation that will withstand in the long run.