Greed vs. Need


I sit here in my modest home, with my modest belongings and know that I am only a month away from bankruptcy.  I know that if I lost my job, or had some major illness, my little shop would disappear.  My shop doesn't pay the bills, in fact, I work my mundane job so that I can afford to throw some clay, make some jewelry and go out to various events around the local area.



Photo Credit - Renee Olson - 2013
Sosanna's Closet - Beltane Festival - Newport News, VA

I have a website and a shop site on the various sellerpages.  I might sell a few pieces a month, but for the most part, my personal business is not self-sufficient.  I've worked at the same job for nine years now.  I love my job.  It suits me.  I’m able to work a fully day and feel at least somewhat rewarded in helping others.
Because my job is online, I spend a great deal of time sitting in front of a terminal, with glowing screens and the rat tat tat of the keyboard being the most organic sound I hear all day.  I do this so that we can have our modest home and so I can pour myself into the creative outlet I call Sosanna’s Closet.

Photo Credit - Renee Olson - 2012
Sosanna's Closet - Yule Bazaar - Wilson, NC

I would love to be wildly successful.  I would love to have people commission pots or order jewelry from me from around the world.  But at this point, I’m happy to get a few comments and maybe a few likes on Facebook.  I’m ok with having that I have.  I’m sure living like Beyonce or maybe getting paid what our government officials in Washington get paid might be nice, but I’m really OK with just having my simple life.

My needs are met.  I have bills.  I have debt.  But my lights are on and I’m not going hungry.  To me, having what you need should be a basic human right.  When we collect more than what we need, most see that as some sort of illness.

Let's look at hoarders for example.  The collect more and more and more until their house literally can fall down around them.  Their looked at a sick and in need of therapy.  They accumulate more and and more until the walls are piled high with items and you can no longer see the floor.  We send out cameras and create reality shows about these people.  We shake our heads and think how pitiful they are.
Yet, when someone collects more and more money.  We see them as some sort of success.  They cannot eat their money, or breathe that money. 

Gandhi said – the earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.

This is such a true statement to me.  Recent discussions in social media avenues have led to some of my friends complaining that THEY are paying for people who don’t want to work.  Or they are paying for healthcare for lazy people. Really?  The changes in healthcare hit me pretty hard.  Our deductible when up and our coverage down.  I’m pretty healthy so, I could handle the changes.  Plus, now there are some kids out there who are able to get health care.  I’m ok with that.  I’m willing to share what I have, though it’s not much, with those in need. 

People are not homeless because there are not enough homes…

A long time ago I was listening to a George Carlin stand up and he started in on golf courses.  He started talking about how homelessness is some abstract frame of mind and what these people really need are houses.  


NSFW - George Carlin on Homelessness



I've watched over the last 3-4 years, where Detroit has offered homes as low as $500 to encourage people to move back to the failing city.   They even started a campaign to revitalize the city by offering writers a free house!

Over the last few months I've watched the movie set “Zeitgeist” and found reference to The Venus Project.  Started by Jacque Fresco, the Venus Project looks at changing to a resource based economy.  We focus on sustainable living and natural resources.  We change our lives with other by changing how we work with one another.  We could end war and poverty if we just stopped looking at what we can own and start looking at what we can share.

Utopia.

Recently I had some shingles ripped up off my house from a wind storm.  I had someone come over and repair them for a dozen eggs from my hens and a homemade pumpkin pie. 

Photo Credit - Renee Olson
My Hen

I’m not suggesting that we all head down to Wal-Mart with our basket of eggs to try to get an iPad.  What I am suggesting is that if we start locally.  Small and help our neighbor, live just might get a bit better for us all. Maybe one day, everyone will have an iPad, and no one will be hungry.


With that I send blessings for a more socialized society.

Namaste & Blessed Be
Sosanna

)O(

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