By Rev. Amari Magdalena
Getting out of bed, I wandered into the bathroom and sat
on a toilet with an upgraded toilet seat, running water, and excrement swished
down the pipes. I did not have to wander
outside in heat or cold to go to the bathroom that even with chemicals, stunk
and was NOT environmentally controlled.
I washed my face with warm water from my plumbed in sink
and did my morning routine with upscale soap and toweled dry with soft fabric
towels. Grabbed the morning medications and vitamins and wandered into the
kitchen where I have a stove, oven, microwave, garbage disposal, fan, lights
etc. Opened the refrigerator to see what
I fancied for breakfast. Had no gnawing
hunger that would go unsated. Ate designer yogurt, drank designer coffee, and
nibbled on a few designer crackers.
Then I wandered into my closet to choose from a slew of
clothing possibilities, that I deem needing replacement because some are showing
wear and picked from the many choices clothing suitable for the season and
weather forecast. Didn’t get to choose pretty shoes, woe is me, as I had to
wear my designer tennis shoes with the Richie brace to help my ankle. Pulled on
the compression socks while bemoaning, for a minute, just how unfashionable
they were rather than saying thank heavens I have the correct attire for the
body I live in. Oh, and I forgot that I put on my designer (some by me) jewelry
to accent my outfit.
Drove my designer Hybrid Prius with its 50 miles per
hour gas consumption to downtown Las Cruces to attend services in a properly
masked congregation and separated for COVID-19 exposure room. Was able to make a donation and enjoyed a
great service replete with music, meditation, and stimulating address. Drove
home in the same designer car.
The temperatures were rising as I drove, and my little
designer car’s air conditioning easily kept the car’s interior very comfortable.
I got out of my car and endured (😊) less
than a minute of 90-degree temperatures, stepping into my air-conditioned
apartment at a very comfortable 78 degrees.
Poured myself a glass of filtered water from my designer filtering pitcher
and relaxed into the afternoon.
Was hungry when I arrived home nearing 1 pm and noshed
on chips, salsa, and crackers-designer of course! Then sat at my designer, top of the line,
computer with my designer orthopedic chair, and desk at appropriate ergonomic height
to spend time answering emails, texts (from my designer two phones), and
contemplating doing some work (remote work).
And here I am making a point of our collective frame of
reference that begs new understanding and labeling. Even at this point in my life, I see all the
entitlement and privilege that even on what is now considered poverty living, I
am comfortable beyond half of the world’s imagining.
No crazed religious zealots are taking over my country
and mouthing promises never to be kept while frightened citizenry literally run
for their lives to a possible chance of freedom. The air in my city is not
filled with smoke from engaged weapons of destruction used to keep people in
fear. Troops are not marching down my street breaking into homes and taking
people into custody. I am not asked to wear hot, uncomfortable clothing that annihilates
my identify and robs me of long fought for equitable freedoms and whose
adherence to, will be necessary if I am to live.
Too many voices today ask what our country can do for
them, not what they can do for our country. Assumptions of entitlement run
rampart along with privilege. We have SO much here, isn’t it a bit past time to
begin a regimen of gratitude and thankfulness for the bounty most of us enjoy even
with reduced income?
Yes, I work hard as I approach my eighties and some of
it is very stressful taking a toll on my health. Yes, I have a lot of health issues now. Yes, I have debts to be concerned about too
often. Yes, I made the choice to work so
that I could afford to live a tad more comfortably. Yes, I made choices that
have created the me of now and who cares!
I recognized this day just how very privileged I am and
as I look about, and say Thank You! I hope more and more of us will wake up to the
lives we lead that are so far above real need that it is ridiculous. And even
more importantly, have us recognize the real obligation for giving back from
our abundance each in our own way. In other words, sharing our world in ways
that may ultimately lift the lives of others vs. Lifestyles of the Rich and
Famous-or not, just too rich not to recognize the need to share from our
excess.
“I was not
born with a silver spoon, but an old rusty steel spoon bent all out of shape.
Over the year's I made that old spoon straight again. I polished that spoon so
hard, now my spoon shines just as if it were made of newly minted silver...!”
―
“When I think about
creating abundance, it's not about creating a life of luxury for everybody on
this planet; it's about creating a life of possibility. It is about taking that
which was scarce and making it abundant.” ―Peter
Diamandis
