Major moments in history — the Great Depression, World War II, the dark day we know simply as “9/11” — leave indelible marks on the participants.

What will be the imprint of the stressful times we are experiencing now?

We ask because we wonder whether any lasting good will come of these trying times recounted in stories of wage freezes and cuts, record joblessness, foreclosures and lost life savings.

In some locales, fewer fireworks will be set off this Fourth of July because of worries over how much all that sparkle costs. In all communities, families add up the prices of gas, food and utilities, and then add them again to make sure the budget can stretch that far.

Measures of consumer confidence don’t find much. Car dealers are offering really good deals, if only we had the money to make a deal.

But as depressing as the recession sounds when put into words, we are hopeful. There is at least a 50-50 chance that consumer and investor behaviors will change markedly for the better, and yet not overreact. We like what we are seeing in the calls for a return to a simpler time — when everyone tended a vegetable garden, reusing and recycling were common, and conspicuous consumption was not quite so conspicuous.

It’s logical to think that if everyone spends less and saves more, that could be good for individual families and bad for the overall economy. But it’s also believable that our history could repeat itself — our nation of small businesses and entrepreneurs could respond to shifting tastes by producing products and creating new “green” jobs that meet our enlightened needs.

So, what is it? Will we learn to be more self-sufficient and pay more attention when our investments start to spiral downward? Or will we become more dependent on our government to intervene when things get a bit shaky? Are there lessons of the past that would be instructive and helpful now?

We invite readers to write — brief notes, please — and share a few of their life lessons learned the hard way. Send your signed comments to Letters, St. Joseph News-Press, 825 Edmond St., St. Joseph, MO 64501, or e-mail them to letters@npgco.com. Please include a phone number for verification.