A Metaphor: On Pitching Together

By beagarth on February 12, 2009 • ( 0 )

by Bea Garth,

I suppose its typical this time of year to be recovering from sinus congestion and influenza as I seem to be. I got inadvertently “glutened” from a kiss, which catapulted me into getting this congestion worse than many. It was a reminder to me not to get caught up in the illusory glamor of a failed relationship. The universe seems to be reminding me with a vengeance that there are some people who are dangerous to me; no matter how appealing they might be, they just aren’t thinking of my best interest and ignore what is good for me.

No matter what, now is a time to pull back and be more reflective. I figure I will be OK in a few days. I seem to be progressively, albeit slowly, getting better.

Meanwhile, my older brother has been more understanding of late, but it took having a minor clash first. He kept thinking I had the “light” version of this bug that he has been sporting this last month. Now he realizes differently after I repeatedly told him my symptoms which were far worse than what he got.

Much to my surprise, it seemed to make an even bigger difference to him when I found, despite being ill, I could still use my resources to help things get done around here. I started doing little things to help even though I couldn’t do much; for my brother that seemed to make him feel a lot better towards me.

We live after all up in the woods and its a bit like Robinson Crusoe at times. It really does require everyone to pitch in.

Meanwhile we have had a problem with our wood stove; it was smoking too much to use. I wanted to help my brother fix the exhaust pipe, however I was too ill to do anything about it.

However it suddenly occurred to me that a friend of mine who knows wood stoves could. I called him up and late that evening he came over to help us. Now both my brother and I are happy in a warm, dry, relatively smoke free environment up here in the damp woods just at the beginning of a cold rainy spell.

So now in improved conditions, my health seems to have increased its upswing plus my brother is a lot happier. He even offered to go buy me some groceries when he didn’t have to rather than resenting every little thing he did previously.

This perhaps is a metaphor for what is going on in the country. For now the economy is sick due in part to some poor choices and belief in glamor. As a result many of us are down and out and can’t do much about improving our condition it seems. As long as we remain self absorbed in our own suffering its not likely much will happen to turn it around. Instead we will end up bickering between the haves and the have nots.

However by learning to think creatively and ask for help as well as working together, solutions can begin to be found. Maybe not exactly like how we might want to accomplish x, y or z, however things can get done, people can help each other meet each others needs–especially if we no longer get caught up in the dangerous illusions of glamor. By pitching together and doing what we can, it will help convince most of us that no one actually wants to be suffering and that we really are in this together. This economic downturn will if nothing else teach us who our friends really are as well as what it is we can do even in times of constraint.

I can easily imagine that barter for one will become a lot more commonplace… No matter what, by learning to help each other we may become a lot closer as a people as a result — and begin to create a lot healthier culture as well as economy.