Our planet, yes “our” planet, is crying out in pain. For those of you who choose to turn a deaf ear, may I suggest you turn back around, see and hear what is going on, going on in every corner of this place we are privileged to inhabit. We are not the rulers of destiny here in this place. We are being allowed to experiment with life and living; taking up space on a living organism that is breathing in and out, while trying to sustain herself with the taxing overload she bears.
It is time for remembrance, and relearning the rules of decency and civility; assorted protocols are necessary to be put back in place.
Greed is part of human nature, and dangerous when left to wander and hunt without boundaries. It is not the police on the streets that are responsible for arresting our irreverent behavior, but our individual consciousness, our mind patrols need to get back on duty. We are reaching levels of urgent necessity.
Will it take the ear piercing decibels of smoke and burglar alarms, fire and ambulance carriers speeding, tornado, earthquake and tsunami warnings to shake us into awareness? Do you find yourself responding to such catastrophic sensations when it finally gets loud enough? Do you then turn and listen, paying attention to the scary alert?
Regarding finance, think of yourself as a small child saving your money in your piggy bank. You had to do chores to earn your pennies and dollars to drop in the slot of your little bank. You were probably guided and advised by your parent that you would be able to purchase your desired item when you had accrued enough money in your piggy bank. You could then remove the plug in the bottom, take out your coins and dollars, and go make your purchase. How many times were you able to pull the plug out of the bottom of your piggy bank and remove that hard-earned money, before it was empty and needed filling? Once is my guess, not more than twice; especially with inflation. Things started costing more, requiring you to do more chores in order to fill up piggy, while anticipating the purchase of that next special item.
The point of “checks and balances” is simplistic and overstated. You cannot spend more than you can reach into the piggy bank and grab. Because you need to hand the money over in exchange for your purchase, leaving you often with a zero balance, indicating time to go back to work enabling more purchase power.
Bartering is good, and has been around from the beginning of time, when “money” was not available as the means of exchange. ”If I give you this, how much of that may I get in return? The wheels of deals were in the making.
Then came the devil in details, whispering to the man of yearning. So the man expands his thinking. “I have decided I really want that herd of cattle, but do not have enough money today to buy them all.” So off to a lender(i.e. the bank), to get some leverage to buy all of that cattle. “I own some land and a modest home on the land that I can promise to the lender, in case I cannot pay back the money I borrow. And of course, I will have to give the lender some extra money for letting me take their money now and make my purchase, that being the interest on my loan. If it takes me 15 years to pay the bank back all of the money I borrowed, the bank is going to make a fair share of extra money that they can use to invest somewhere else.”
O.k. now you know the rest as to the cycle of making, spending, borrowing and lending, that has continued it’s cycle throughout history.
Enter the “Greedy Needy,” who have become exorbitantly excessive with their demands for more, more and more “things” to own and covet. Added is deceit, corruption and daily foul play among those who found ways to make gains in millions and billions…the “inside” deals. Corruption is rampant. The system no longer supports only justice, but is also persuaded by “he who holds the gold.” Everyone who is in a position to change things for the better, has the option to get paid off first instead, going home richer by night than started by day.
All through history the masses have had leaders in the name of warriors, chiefs, lords, kings, queens, captains, officers, priests, ministers, presidents, senators, boards and administrations, CEO’s, CFO’s and O’s to the point of Overload. The leaders and the followers; the workers, the ones who toil, pay taxes and make the rich richer.
But there evolved the middle class. There are a vast array of garnished definitions of ”middle class.” To keep it streamlined, it is exactly as defined; somewhere in the middle. It is between the highest and the lowest, nobility and peasantry, the rich and the poor, the have’s and have nots. It is agreeably defined as the “working class.” The middle class came to power in America during the Industrial Revolution. It was a class of people who were able to go to work building capital for themselves and family. With that came more power to influence progress and politics. The middle class have been hard-working people, dedicated to creating more freedom of choice in life styles, while enjoying the accompanying amenities that go along with prosperity.
The middle class of america has helped keep the balance of cooperation and competition between commerce, agriculture, industry, technology and finance. What we have lost in this class as of today, is causing an indescribable, insurmountable imbalance; threatening the integrity, safety and survival of the people.
The wealth is now primarily in the hands of a few; the guys who make the decisions behind closed doors. Please take some time to cogitate on some of these coalitions that have evolved once again into modern day history. There is a global minority who are very fat in their back pockets. These contingencies have enormous gluttonous purchase power, owning large surplus’s of what the common man is fighting to maintain…like one modest home to house their family.
There is no set formula or definition for all people of all levels of living and income brackets. Yes, there are the lazy included. Examples may include those who contribute little and never will move too much beyond their lazy boy, strategically placed within radiation distance. The T.V. tray is abutted to the lazy boy with the cold beer cup holder and armchair cradle for the giant-sized lay potato chip bag. Life is slow, good and accommodating.
This writing could go on into a book length compilation. My purpose is to keep it elementary and simple; just enough “sizing up” to get your attention. It is what is needed, everyone’s attention. Above are realized life scenarios that are serious with some whimsy thrown in to make it entertaining.
“Hey you in the back row, wake up from your dozing.”
We are a struggling nation, being humbled to our knees. Our planet is hurting and crying out for healing. There are no quick answers and/or fixes. It has taken lifetimes to find ourselves at this juncture. There are no timeline answers that can be affixed to solutions. It will require one day, one week, one month, one year after year of coming together; people feeling the pain and the discomfort together. It will take understanding, sharing and caring, mostly giving instead of taking.
The answers will not be found only in logic and linear thinking. The answers will come from a process ongoing, moving in a circle that is filled compassion, communication from the heart, working in tandem with the intellect of mind.
There is one quick fix I can recommend for which we can all participate, starting now. That is the concept of “less is more.” Start now to consume less in every way possible. Eat less, drive less, borrow and spend within a budget you can balance. I will guarantee your health to improve by taking a few baby steps. By health I am speaking of the 3 in 1 formula…mind, body and soul.
Your entire being will feel lighter of burden in every step you make, starting now. You will experience as the movie title, “The Lighness of Being.” Life is much more enjoyable, satisfying and successful, when keeping all aspects more simplistic. Learn to live with less, and find time to do more!
I implore that you do NOT get “Comfortably Numb!” Pink Floyd.
Fine interpretation of our current plight on this ‘living organism that is breathing in and out.’ Our precious earth. We are moving at an unsustainable rate as the “haves” consume grossly disproportionate resources often at the expense of the “have nots.” As the middle four billion seek and struggle to attain an equal degree of amenity and luxury as held by the “haves.” Meanwhile the bottom billion sit a cycle of economic stagnation, violence, and hunger… Wonderfully written in its simplicity and honesty.
From Hill