I probably belong to the last generation of Americans that will experienced middle class in this country. Things are changing so rapidly now that the daily news is becoming an exercise in controlled exposure to depression. How much do I want to learn the facts?
The graft in today's NYT shows the pension obligations of the U.S. and Europe, the debt balance is 500% of this nations output for the next forty years. Hawaii announced today that it needs the tax refunds to operate the state so money will be paid out until August. Virginia is so broke they are giving out speeding tickets of $2,500 for going 15 miles over the speed limit. Kansas City, Mo. is closing almost half of its school in one sweep. I can't even think about the greedy bankers and insurance companies, those sociopaths need a special reincarnation.
For a little less that ten years, I have been wailing against government policy and the politics of war and waste. The good news of this awareness is that I had decided to do something about it for myself. I have a lovely garden with raised beds to grow herbs and vegetables, fruit trees and bushes that are maturing to the point of offering some variety to my diet and physical exercise to maintain it all with out leaving my yard. The adventure of providing some of our own organic food has giving an opportunity to make friends with like minded people and expanded my interesting in eating wider plant base diet. With the recent addition of five laying hens, my body gets better nutrition, my mind and spirit get entertainment.
When I was a child and a young adult, the age of 67 seemed to me the point that one would wait around until the death blow to hit. The importance of experiencing this age is to understand that it is the most interesting age offering a contentment that rarely is felt at an earlier age. The sameness of routine is just fine, for by this time, I have try out lots of ways, methods and approachs to living and settled on one that is comfortable. I have been though the stages of life that taught who to trust, who to be impressed by and what values are my own. I have throw off institutional values, such of religious organizations, found them self serving. The adoption of a world view of the golden rule serves all of humanity, simply and equally. I have read enough history to know that what we are going though is another cycle turn of history, simple as that. The final days of another empire. Sadly, the thing that is different this time, is the human race has done much damage to our nest on this cycle.
I feel like this kind of post sort of sums it all up- what else is there to say? I've been reading ram daas about the bagavhad gita and he says in hindu culture life is carved up into these portions that at your age you're meant to relax in that kind of peace- practice your spirituality (gardening?), there is a sort of quietness about it all. I love reading about politics, but I've learned over the last couple years that none of it matters, recognizing this doesnt change my values but I am less invested in the disappointment when others fail to see things as I do. It's all theater.
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