There's a lot of anxiety about at the minute. People are rightly worried about a lot of things: from the state of the UK economy to the world economy at large; from the prospect of potential redundancies and job losses to the very real threat that people aren't going to be buying much this year or the next. It could be a bleak old Christmas; the sound of half-empty tills.

Without in any way trying to belittle anyone's genuine fears in these difficult economic times, we're asking you all for a little spiritual guidance here, something wise to stir our spirit, make us resolute. A staff to lean on as we all ascend a parlous winding path, steep drops on either side. We're looking for a James Stewart moment in It's a Wonderful Life, a soulful response to the times we live in. There's got to be more to it all than hedge funds and Lehman Brothers, surely?

Dear friends: share with us some comforting words of wisdom to help us get a bit of perspective.

• In times of trouble, which books and poems, writers and authors do you go to for guidance or solace?

• Are there any films and songs that speak to your soul, that give you a sense of perspective, imparting wisdom that really helps you? Have you seen It's a Wonderful Life?.

• In your own life, have you experienced ups and downs and developed a bit of perspective, a 'long view' you might want to share with us?

• Do you think the press is hyping up all the 'bad news' and is therefore partly responsible for a general air of panic? Might things actually be not that bad?

• Do you 'travel light' in this world or are your affairs inextricably bound up in the global market and all its vicissitudes - mortages, shares, savings, retail etc?

• Do you think that on a deep level Western society ignores the fact that all human beings eventually die and ignores this 'philosophical crisis', filling the gap instead with shopping?

• Do you think 'worldly' crises bring us closer to what's really important in life? Often a person is more philosophical after a major crisis; can the same apply to nation states? Will those parts of the world currently affected by the economic crisis feel chastened? Will they reflect more in the future, become more soulful?