Ever have one of those life periods where you find the same message
in everything you watch, read and do? I think I'm in the middle of one.
Here's the list:
-
The Ceejus, my sister, my cousin and I had a conversation a week ago
about how we live in a society where most systems - including food
supply - are crafted to benefit an elite few. Not all these systems are
inherently bad or evil, but they certainly don't prioritize the
interests of those of us at ground level.
- My wife and I flew to
Denver this past weekend, and we stayed with The Ceejus' friend and her
boyfriend. The friend is a professional organizer - and regardless of
how anyone may feel about unions, this friend often takes very unpopular
stands against unfair labor practices. Not to mention the two of them
are among the most generous and gracious hosts I have EVER encountered.
They do what they think is right, regardless of popularity and/or
cost. I admire them for that.
- On the flight back from Denver I started reading the second
book in the Hunger Games trilogy. ***partial spoiler alert*** At my
current point in the book, Katniss is struggling with a crisis of
conscience. Does she run for the woods and hide from "The Capitol,"
saving herself and her loved ones? Or does she take a stand against the
Capitol's tyranny and start a full-fledged revolution? She's starting
to realize that regardless of how difficult it is to stand up against
the status quo, she must - because the status quo is killing people just
to keep society under control.
- Ceejus is reading the Lord of
the Rings trilogy, and we're watching the corresponding movie at the
conclusion of each book. Last night, at the end of the second movie,
she had an epiphany similar to Katniss' based on a comparison to Middle
Earth's potential capitulation to Sauron - essentially that it would
obviously be wrong to join evil's side just because it looked like evil
might win. Yet so many people do that in our world every day -
compromise morals because it's hard to fight against what seems like the
natural flow of society.
From my perspective these things all deliver the same
message - one must assume complete command and control of one's own life
in order to avoid being caught up in a river of poor values that are so
easily assumed and assimilated from society at large. I acknowledge
that this post risks seeming cliche and therefore trite - but I assure
you that it's not. When was the last time you stepped alllll the way
back from your present life and really looked at it? Are you doing what
you want to do? Are you compromising your most important values
because it's easier than fighting the current?
Are you assuming active control of your own life?
Think before
you answer.
I'm thinking long and hard about my answer.
i live in the wrong state to truly assume active control of my life.
ReplyDeletesoon, though. soon.
Heh...we're drawing much the same conclusion, actually. Are you still looking up in the big sky state?
Delete'Roundabouts there, yeah. Idaho, remember? :)
DeletePS: tell Ceej it's okay to be a Libertarian in deed but not in name. 'Tis why I'm registered Independent.