Doing The Right Thing

It seems that too many of us here in America don't purpose in our hearts to take action, we wait until something happens and then we react. When we used to hear the so-called conspiracy theorists talk about how just a few people controlled the majority of the wealth of the entire planet, we took it all in with a grain of salt. Now that the toppling of the housing industry, the deterioration of our educational system, and the apparent racism in the political arena is being talked about by mainstream media, we're looking a little closer at what's really going on. We're starting to question where all the money associated with housing, schools, and political campaigns is actually going. We're beginning to believe that the government, as we know it, is not responding to our needs as it should; and possibly adhering to the desires of a small group of people whose names we don't even know. But then we still recognize and fear the power and control the government has over us, and we want to wait until we're sure they'll be no repercussions before we start openly complaining. We then start to wonder how these  so-called conspiracy theorists are blatantly talking about how wars, environmental problems, and food modification, are all being perpetrated by the powerful few for personal monetary gain. The stuff they're saying is believable and the powerful few must know that we're starting to accept its validity, so why aren't they doing something to prove these theorists wrong? Well, why should they? We are a crisis-oriented people and unless something happens directly to us, we just allow things to unfold as they do. We are dangerously complacent, and have become perfectly willing to allow others to fight our seemingly hopeless battles for us. The problem however, is that all negativity is being done at our expense, and at the possible disintegration of a viable future for our children and our children's children.

We need to start being less reactive and more proactive. How can we do that? While visiting my mother in Chicago this past week, I decided to empty all her garbage bags as I usually do. This time however, she was really adamant about the separation of 'garbage' and 'recyclables'. Now I pride myself on being a non-conformist to ideals that are not being carried out by their protagonist, that being the City of Chicago in this case. I for one, find it hard to believe that my beloved hometown is participating in an effort to 'save the planet', unless there's some tangible gratuity involved. I am just a firm believer that most Chicago politicians are more concerned about personal gain than the welfare of their constituents, and am thereby hesitant in supporting any of their agendas. I didn't verbalize these thoughts at the time, but my mother, who would be one of the few honest politicians if she were one, went right for the jugular in her attempt to secure my vote. She said, "You're writing that blog and always talking about the 'we' , yet you don't think it's a we thing when people are trying to do something positive? You talk about people talking the talk and not walking the walk. Are you one of those people?" Well it was getting kind of painful for me, and she was just getting started; so I succumbed and transferred all the items to their respective (proper) bag(s), and placed them all outside in their corresponding receptacles. I initially just reacted to my mother's plea; but, as an afterthought, have decided to actively adhere to the recycling procedures here in California. This is just my one small example of proactive behavior, and yet there are so many other ways in which we can demonstrate this same mindset.

We can stop eating in at least one restaurant where the food tastes good, but we know that it is not good for us.  We can buy only the eggs produced by free-roaming chickens. We can try to stop smoking and/or drinking at least one day a week. We can park our car further from the entrance of the mall, and stop emitting so many fumes trying to find a space closer to the door. Even better we can take public transportation at least once a month. We can spend some of our money in the 'mom and pop stores', rather than giving all of it to the big corporations. We are all creative beings, so just think of  something you can do to address the issues that you are aware of. Something's going on in the world that's not in everybody's best interest, and you know you don't like it. So even if you feel you can't do anything about that particular thing, do something positive in another arena, while realizing that every little bit helps. The 'we' is a very powerful entity ya'll, and if each one of us does her or his part, no matter how small it might seem, in the words of my friend Kenny Bean,.. "Righteousness shall prevail."

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