I can remember when I was in elementary school and we were learning our numbers. The teacher was teaching us how to count. We were counting on the board up to thousands, hundred thousand and then a million. Then we went up to a billion and the teacher had written this across the blackboard all these zeros. When asked she said a trillion comes after a billion but we didn't have to worry about learning that because in our lifetime we wouldn't see a trillion.
Well here we are.....trillion dollar deficit. What is it anyway just paper. I was talking to a dear friend and she compared a trillion dollar deficit to having a trillion rocks. One can't fathom what a trillion rocks would look like and so just holding that one rock lets you know how devalued our money is it is nothing really. Honest economist not tied to the system will say the same. Its all been made up anyway for the past ten years just electronic bytes whirling around in "data" space. So the systems are breaking down.....well I say good. We are again at the cross roads of humanity. I don't see it as grime and dire as it is being painted. I see it as an opportunity to learn who your neighbor is and become the community we so causally say we desire to create. Okay that neighbor next door you have only said hi to as you go in and out of your house to and from work, go knock on her/his door and say hello. "I'm so and so from across the street, you know the family with the teenager who dresses in black for the past two years. How are you doing? I know we haven't talked much except hello or it looks like rain when we see each other coming from our daily gigs but I would like to invite you to our house for a potluck. As a matter of fact I'm inviting the whole block to come over and bring a dish. We are calling this potluck "Food of your People" You get to make a dish homemade that is a recipe from your family that is a tradition or culture. Yeah you can even use our stove if you like to cook it on. Come over anytime. I've been laid off from my tech job. Oh am I worried you betcha. But a funny thing has happened. Since being laid off collecting unemployment for the past month I'm actually home when the kids got off from school. It was neat to hear about there day and not get it second hand a day late. I cleaned out the garage too. Did I tell you we are having a garage sell. Plus our digital TV was turned off. Can't afford it in these times. So the whole family is talking these days instead of in our rooms tuned in to one of our electronic gadgets. I didn't know my 15 year old daughter had pierced her tongue. Go figure, you know how it goes man 15 hours days all you want to do is sleep and ride your lawn more on the weekend. I'm selling that too. You know anybody who needs a Deer mower? Craigslist, okay I will try that.
Anyway since I'm not chasing the paper I got time on my hands. Oh my wife. Well she is working. They got to have nurses huh. Well don't forget Friday night potluck at my house. Bring you family too. "
That is how imagine the dialogue to be going with so many people out of work. The consuming and excess of our lives is being paired down and balanced is being restored. We have time on our hands and we are getting reacquainted with ourselves and family. Some are using this time to go back to school while others are getting into hobbies long put aside. Others are finding out what is going on in the neighborhood. The lawn in our back yard or on the side is becoming a great place to grow a garden of some kind. We are thinking back to what did our parents do? Some of us remember the stories or grew up on farms, in little towns, and the country where we didn't buy everything from a store. Summer gardens are more than just vogue or a way to show you are greening the planet. It is a necessity today to stretch this "paper" of no value. The bartering system is being dragged out the closet, dusted off and put into play.
You know I think the universe tries to assist us with change however we still fight it tooth and nail. Change can be done with such grace. I don't think any of us desire to be unemployed and yet when did a job become the elephant in the room. When did working and no time for spontaneous play, creativity go by the wayside for over inflated houses and cars, electronics and just stuff? I see this economic situation as a gift. A way to simplify our lives and let go of things that has disconnected us from our family, friends and community. We get to talk, have potlucks and discover the wonder of being still. This picture of commorants is a great metaphor for meditation. I watched them sitting. Just sitting on the branch watching, waiting taking in the sun and their environment. They are not chasing food or things. They know if they just sit and wait and be still dinner will come. When birds take flight it is for a purpose? What has been our purpose for all this chasing of paper, paper, paper, money, money, money....gotta get that paper, paper, paper.....
lyrics from one of Bone Thugs & Harmony rap songs.
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