Whenever I’m driving with my mom and we see a coyote she
gets very excited. She believes it’s a sign that we will both receive money in
the near future. Now, whether we’re talking about an inheritance from an old
aunt’s estate or a ten dollar bill left in a jacket pocket, it doesn’t matter. My
mom’s convinced the coyote was a messenger.
Maybe that’s the problem with our society today; we’re no
longer superstitious so nothing keeps us in check. There is no motivation to be
good, just a constant barrage of consumerism. The Northern Utes, true natives
to this valley, seem to understand an aspect of this life that we haven’t
figured out. They treat the Earth and fellow animals with respect and their
lives seem richer somehow. I mean, if we celebrated gods and goddesses in the
Roaring Fork valley today what would they be? The god of heavy equipment
operation, the goddess of perfect-fit yoga pants…
We’ve taken monotheistic capitalism to a ridiculous circus
mirror stage, and if we don’t pull it together soon:
“I think we risk becoming the best-informed society that has
ever died of ignorance.” -Rubén Blades
By ‘pull it together’ I mean start living simply so others
may simply live. Everyone on this planet is entitled to a sustainable life with
food, shelter, medicine and education. And this is a goal we can all get
behind. For Jesus’ sake, we’re not talking about putting designer clothing on
every child, just shoes and a backpack.
What exactly is the point of having more anyway? Are we sure
that’s the end goal, because we all end up in the same place. And I, for one,
don’t want to show up at the pearly gates with a huge bank account and try to
explain how it is that so many of my mates are starving and homeless. No one’s
life is simple. And you can’t tell by looking at someone’s handbag how sick
they are in mind or heart. It’s like that old all-girls-school saying: You
can’t tell a book by its cover (but you can tell how much it’s going to cost.)
I think the key to leading a rich life is more about attitude and gratitude
than actual wealth. It’s about what kind of things get under our skin and
whether or not we let them fester.
It intrigues me that most people I’ve met who only have the
clothes on their back and the food in their fire are always smiling and
laughing, while 90% of the people in Willits wear a blank scowl. Trust me, I
recognize Resting Bitchy Face when I see it. We all know how crow’s feet are formed
and that is one way to defy age as it marches across your face, but how bad is
your life that you can’t return a stranger’s smile in the grocery store?! I
work in a grocery store, for a minimal wage, and yet I can’t help but smile. (Of
course, I do work for the good guys; the capitalists with a conscience.)
Speaking of minimum wage, check out what Bill Maher has to
say on the subject:
“Wouldn’t
it be great if there were democrats out there now who would say to
billionaires, ‘Oh, you’re crying? We’ll give you something to cry about. You
don’t want a minimum wage? How bout we not only have a minimum wage, we have a
maximum wage.’ That is not a new idea. James Madison, who wrote our
constitution, said government should prevent an immoderate accumulation of
riches. Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, they all agreed that too much money in
the hands of too few would destroy democracy. What can you buy with two billion
dollars that you can’t buy with one? You couldn’t spend that kinda cash if you
lived forever and your money manager was MC Hammer.”
-Real Time with Bill Maher
So, whenever I’m driving around the back roads looking for
coyotes, with a rabbit’s foot swinging from the rear view mirror and a silver
dollar in my pocket, I always remember to smile. And be good.
