General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsEvery time I open my refrigerator, *every time*.......
.......I am reminded how incredibly fortunate I am to live where I live and have a decent job. I can afford to have good, lean meats and fresh fish and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Don't get me wrong, there is also chocolate pudding and a few ice cream bars in there, too. I'm not a nun, after all!
But I'm also reminded of all the people who aren't nearly so lucky. That keeps me spending two Saturdays a month at the Resource Center, which also reminds me of my good fortune.
Just feeling mellow and wanted to mention it. And to wish everyone on DU a great weekend.
Peace.
boston bean
(36,221 posts)Sissyk
(12,665 posts)lol!
WillowTree
(5,325 posts)I've always known how lucky I am. It's the way I was brought up. Just sometimes I reflect on it and I wanted to share.
boston bean
(36,221 posts)And I just couldn't help myself from writing the first thing that came to my mind upon reading the subject line.
My apologies again. I shall give a rec in hopes of making it up to you.
WillowTree
(5,325 posts)Life's too short to be that thin-skinned. If it made you smile, that's a good thing, no?
Have a good one!!
Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)When Mickey Rooney died a couple months ago, some of the obits recalled what he said about his profession: "When I open a refrigerator door and the light goes on, I want to perform!"
I love that attitude, but I also agree with the serious point the OP makes.
betsuni
(25,537 posts)and the light doesn't go on sometimes. I think it's trying to discourage me. Don't look in here where there is cheese and cake, it seems to say. Have some fruit, it's over there on the table. At least it's still running -- oops, there it goes, gotta go catch it.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]
WCLinolVir
(951 posts)That and Prince Albert in a can.
Sissyk
(12,665 posts)Hope you have a great weekend, too.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,023 posts)Wish more people did.
Uncle Joe
(58,365 posts)Thanks for the thread and peace to you, WillowTree.
Aldo Leopold
(685 posts)Really do. Lived for a while on food stamps and one meager meal a day. Life is really good right now.
bhikkhu
(10,718 posts)Every time I come back from the grocery store and fill up the cupboards, fridge and freezer, I think of how much we have compared to many places.
That doesn't stop the kids from saying, a few minutes later, on briefly perusing the full cupboards, fridge and freezer, that "there's nothing to eat here!", but its certainly leaner most places in the world. And compared to most of human history we have it so easy, as far as food goes.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Including the ever popular pizza casserole.
asjr
(10,479 posts)used to call someone and ask them if their refrigerator was running. Usually the person would say yes and the young one would say Better run after it before it gets away. Then there was Do you have Prince Albert in a can? Yes they did. Better take the lid off so he can have air. Now I will not sleep tonight with other jokes going through my mind.
packman
(16,296 posts)Elderly couple goes to doctor for exams. Old man tells doc that things are good, feeling fine and even God is on his side. "How so," asks the doc. "Every night when I go to the bathroom, God provides a light for me so I don't stumble."
Doc questions wife about this strange statement. "Yes, the idiot is wandering around at night and peeing in the refrigerator."
asjr
(10,479 posts)jokes I manage to go back in time and relive those corny jokes.
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)K&R
WillowTree
(5,325 posts)And I can't say that I think he was wrong about that. (It was, I assure you, one of his few moments of clarity. LOL!!)
Remember John Gray, the "Mars/Venus" guy? He also wrote a book titled "How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have". It talks about how we tend to get so wrapped up in the pursuit of "more" that we forget to appreciate the "more" that we strove for and acquired yesterday, and how we're depriving ourselves of the enjoyment of what we've already achieved. Interesting concept, I think, and something that we need to give some consideration to sometimes.
Bottom line.......yes. I agree that a big part of being happy is being thankful for what we do have, and I try to remember how much I really do have.
kairos12
(12,862 posts)hamsterjill
(15,222 posts)It's important to stop and count our blessings. Thanks for taking action to make this world a better place.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Wonderful food for thought.
cali
(114,904 posts)even when things were bleakest for me- after I smashed up my leg and throughout the long recovery, when I was broke and had to use food stamps, I knew I was more fortunate than many other people and I was grateful. And when I couldn't feel it, I still practiced it.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)Unhealthy food is comparatively cheap, and that why it's so prevalent. Good food is expensive.
-Laelth
panader0
(25,816 posts)kidding--nice post
HipChick
(25,485 posts)it haz computer circuit... It's prob ordering groceries too...
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)that we really do not have it that bad living under imperial rule where we start wars with other nations to steal their resources, openly manipulate their forms of government including killing their leaders, send our corporations into impoverished places to exploit their workers so our refrigerators will always be full of fresh produce flown in direct from countries where the workers will not ever be able to afford these luxuries, etc. etc.
Sorry to be a downer, but we Americans have very little sense of perspective.
Sorry to harsh your buzz.
NJCher
(35,685 posts)thing: "our." It is not "our." The U.S. government, while we pay the taxes for it, is not ours and has not been for some time. Despite that, many of us have been out on the front lines since Day One of this Iraq boondoggle protesting. For years and years and years we have protested. Many of us have even made long trips to D.C. to march.
In fact, some of us, myself included, were out IN FRONT of it. I don't know if you recall, but prior to the first Iraqi war, Move-On and some other organizations had published flyers we could photocopy which asked the American public to support holding off on the U.S. military going in there.
I was out in the cold drizzly parking lot of the major supermarket in our area distributing those pamphlets, so I know.
Sadly, very few people cared or even seemed to know what I and my fellow activists were talking about.
This is not my government. It is not "our" government. It is an illusion. It is the government of big corporate players who make money off our tax dollars to do despicable things like "rain fire" on the heads of the Iraqi people for purposes of profit.
Perhaps the OP should have acknowledged that, maybe not. As someone upthread commented, it is a simple, good post that just acknowledges a good thing in life. Beyond that, it gets complicated.
Cher
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)I spent a lot of time waving signs and screaming as did many of us (to our credit). Ironically, I even made a video out of the traffic webcam on 15th and Constitution Ave when a million of you marched on DC and not a single mainstream site reported it.
While you are 100% right when you state that it is not "our" government, we, nevertheless, bear responsibility for not curbing its excesses. Otherwise we are all good Germans -- something I certainly do not ever want to be.
NJCher
(35,685 posts)What a slap in the face of reality that was, seeing the NY Times cheery photo of bush waving and not a word about the huge protest. And that picture of he and Cheney walking down PA Ave--what a laugh. They were only able to walk the last 25' or so because of all the egg and tomato throwing. The rest of the time they were in their cars getting pelted.
And sure enough, that was the way it went on for years, with the media ignoring us and being lapdogs for bush and cheney propaganda.
If I had not experienced it firsthand, I would never have believed it.
We owned the streets of D.C. that day.
Interesting that you did a video. I have a video of that day. I show it to students and then I show them the NY Times coverage so they understand we don't have a free press.
But to your final point, as long as I publicly protest it and do all I can, I hold myself free of blame for what this government does. I am not a good German.
Cher
WillowTree
(5,325 posts).......unable to appreciate what you do have because you're too preoccupied with dwelling on what's wrong with the world.
I hope that things improve for you.
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)so I feel it is hypocritical for me to dwell on how "lucky" I am without acknowledging the reasons I am better off. I apologize for mentioning the dark side of our lucky penny. Clearly, we all do what we can to work for positive change.
WillowTree
(5,325 posts)If it make you feel better, I'll go flog myself as penance for the breakfast I had this morning.
WCLinolVir
(951 posts)WCLinolVir
(951 posts)in the kitchen preserving our harvest of locally grown. It isn't easy, has a learning curve, and the initial investment can seem steep, but the benefits are eating well and the benefit to the planet and bees is important. Local grown support is so important. Learn to grow. Organically.
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)especially by gardening. I only wish my own efforts were as fruitful. My tomato plants are looking very yellow this year.
Shrike47
(6,913 posts)Wonderful view out the window, great cats, good public library. We focus too much on what we want, not what we have.
Rozlee
(2,529 posts)Granted, I'm one of those people that hardly cleans out her fridge and a couple of organisms in it have probably achieved a few steps up the evolutionary ladder, but I toss out left overs and wilted veggies, fruit and spoiled milk, etc., in copious amounts. When I think of how much even a few bites of our leftover pizza a starving person would benefit from, I just cringe. But, so much goes to waste. I try and cook to the proportions that just two people eat for, but on some days, we're just peckish and too much is wasted. Over time, it adds up to shocking amounts. When you add in how much that is for all Americans, it boggles the mind. We could feed the world.
Stuart G
(38,434 posts)WCLinolVir
(951 posts)I know I could not afford the store bought version, and it would not taste as good. I feel rich when I pick baskets full of peppers to freeze and can with other vegetables for the coming year. Same for my other harvests.
marble falls
(57,102 posts)pudding in solidarity. Good on you!