It is wonderfully healthy to grow some of our own food, and taking care of ourselves with diet today became that much more important. But we still all need access to medical care too. Please, if you have one, pick up the phone and call your senators to defend the Affordable Care Act and move towards a single payor system that would cover more people not fewer and would respect the rights and health needs of women.
Pantry items, long storage organic cheese, greens from the garden.
As I eat these simple, inexpensive, nutritious meals, I ask myself:
How much do I need?
What kind of economy do I want to support for when we can go out again?
What kind of businesses, of food delivery systems, of community support and interaction?
I have reorganized my budget–not having eaten out or bought anything in weeks and thinking about how little I miss it except as a treat, and having already come within range of this as these dark times have been progressing, I have now dedicated a full bi-weekly paycheck to monthly giving. I am blessed to still have a steady paycheck, health insurance, and the knowledge to live well on a budget.
Looked at from one perspective, the yoga teachings say that outer peace will come from the cultivation of inner peace. I do think that it is hard to wage peace on a global level if one does not truly cultivate inner love and peace. Where I differ from some is that I do not believe it is sufficient to take care of your own inner peace without a care for how one fits into the global web.
Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
At lunchtime, I bumped into a co-worker from an office where I worked for a few year in the 1990s. We shared stories of our concerns and fears in these times, both as citizens and as Federal workers . One of his daughters just graduated from U.V.A. Another is in grad school there, so they have lots of friends in Charlottesville. We went back to our respective offices, but it is hard to work. The weather was hot and thick with humidity, the gardens oblivious to current events (so far).
I may have a nagging cough from a cold that started over a week ago, and it might not have been the ideal of a walk in the woods with a beloved, but I had the best walkabout possible today. The air was mild, and the rain held off until mid-afternoon, leaving plenty of time to get out and appreciate the day. Enjoying that I did not need hat or gloves, I walked for a couple of hours around the neighborhood before I went to the Sunday jam to dance. I picked up a few things that I needed, said hi to neighbors who were also out walking, and looked at trees and clouds and invited myself to be filled with gratitude for what I have.
I was thinking about the exhortation to have the “best possible day.” Before I started my walk, I got an email from a friend about setting a date for lunch, and she said that she’d had the best holiday possible. I think it was in response to my wishing her such–the best holiday possible, that is.
I’ve long stopped exhorting people to have a happy holiday or a merry christmas because I have no idea what might be going on with them (or, I do have an idea). I have enough friends, neighbors, co-workers, and acquaintances who are facing serious challenges–illness, difficulties with work or difficulties getting work, kids stumbling to get through life, relationship complications, elder care navigations, loss of a loved one, or loneliness–that wishing a happy holiday might be kind of clueless. And then there is the state of society and the world.
Thus, I wish that we are able to recognize and experience what we have that is good (while working to make healthier and more life-enhancing choices/changes for the things that are not good that can be changed) and bring out the best in ourselves in navigating all of life–the best possible holiday, day, year, etc.
