Having been severely beaten down and expensively trodden upon by global economic conditions of late, I like to dwell upon the wonder and beauty of life that I'm privileged to enjoy. Life is sweet, as Buffalo so often reminds me; but not for everyone.
It's not sweet for the three defenseless people gunned down by holdup men in a Delray Beach Dunkin Donuts last night. It wasn't sweet for the parents of a two year old boy run over in his own driveway yesterday by another SUV in West Palm. The world is full of hunger and disease and war and the innocent are never spared while the guilty prosper. How offensive to them, should I be thankful it didn't happen to me. How revolting to thank an imaginary entity who allows such suffering.
There will be quite a few formerly comfortable retirees here who won't be having one of those belly busting Thanksgiving feasts this year. They simply can't afford it on social security and the few bucks they're lucky to make bagging groceries and pushing carts at Publix ( no tipping please) and besides the kids can't afford to come down here this year. Evictions are up tenfold. In fact putting food on the table is going to be harder than last year and nearly impossible for some and the food banks are depleted. It's going to be a dumpster based banquet for the homeless and yes, it's cold here at night this time of year.
So the kids aren't going to get big checks from me this year. Instead I'm planning to stop at the wholesale club and load it up with food for the local food bank. I'm not a saint, I just have found that there's nothing like the feeling you get making life a tiny bit sweeter for someone else. It feels good -- do it.
Here's the irony, Fogg. I have arrived at the same place but from the side of cultivating my spiritual self. I have no particular attachment to money or trying to amass wealth. When I have it, I spread it around where I think it will do the most good. My children are also aware that my first concern is the local food bank and ministry that helps pay for heat and prescriptions.
ReplyDeleteSo, in the words of Albert Einstein, "There are only two ways to live . . . one is as though nothing is
a miracle. . . the other is as if everything is."
No matter which side of this equation you are coming from, we will all live each day until we die. We have no other choice.
Sunt lachremae rerum, et mentem mortala tangunt
ReplyDeleteThese are the tears of things and our mortality cuts to the heart.
I don't think it matters much why we do things, only whether we do them or not. I truly have no idea what "spiritual" means. I don't believe in Karma or heaven or souls or eternal rewards. I'm not anything near selfless, I don't think I'm very generous and I know I'm a misanthrope. I'm very sure we are all alone and very ephemeral in an infinite and hostile universe in which we have no meaning or purpose whatsoever but I can buy more happiness for the price of a frozen turkey or a case of beans then I can by putting another hundred gallons in the tanks or buying an expensive dinner. I like to be happy. It's all very transitory at best and there isn't anything else.
Here's wishing everyone a fine Thanksgiving! I finally had my first Tofurkey today, even though I've been a vegetarian for around twenty years. You know, the stuff isn't bad at all. Doesn't look like much, but it tastes fine. Now if only they would start offering "Tofusaurus Stew...."
ReplyDeleteWell, Fogg, at our ages I think we are pretty set in our views and I'm sure not going to try and change yours. Your beliefs have validity, at least to you as mine have validity to me and that's all that matters really. Like you, I do what I do because it makes me happy to do something helpful with my money and/or time. And you are more generous than you make out. I for one have found great wit and wisdom in your posts.
ReplyDeletebloggingdino, I might have become a vegetarian but I just can't get through tofu anything so it's the real thing for me. But I made sure we had lots of veggies, too. Sweet potato cassarole (no marshmallows!), asparagus almondine, mashed potatoes, rutabaga and steamed mixed vegetables. Best part was having my children here. We did have a fine Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoyed yours.
ReplyDeleteBloggingdino, your saurischian presence is requested to protect one of your ornithischian progeny (see post below) from certain Zoners who were duly informed that Mr. Turkey is not dinner but an honored guest, having descended from your nobleness many millions of years ago. Yet, Fogg, Ink, and others insist on imagining tender morsels beneath your great, great, grand-descendent’s feathers. It seems the quality of mercy does not pertain to plump birds.
ReplyDeleteNot it doesn't, but I have to profess a great fondness for Mapo dofu, a hot and spicy delight. I could never get through a week as a vegetarian here, but it India and China, it's a different story.
ReplyDeleteAs to beliefs, I hope I don't have any. They're the things that let us be irresponsible and immoral and besides, there is no way to have beliefs that aren't self serving because they're a way to flatter and delude ourselves that we know what we don't know.
" Delusion, if delusion be admitted, has no certain limitation" said Doctor Johnson. Life has nothing but limitation.
Fogg - you are the Eyore to my Pollyanna; we balance each other perfectly! LOL!
ReplyDelete