Doing It Anyway

This is one of those times that I'm really not in the mood to be thoughtful, inspiring, or insightful - and I'm going to do it anyway, I hope.

Today, I'm feeling really sad and scared - as so many people who are losing their jobs, incomes, houses, livelihoods are. Those of us who have worked hard, been good people, played by the rules (mostly), and absolutely did our best are being trampled by the fighting elephants of unscrupulous, greedy financiers and power brokers who don't seem to notice and certainly don't care for our suffering.

I have been "following my bliss" for years, and the money has not come. I realized yesterday that my embrace of this mantra was naive, at best. This phrase was uttered by a very privileged, white, American man who had access and opportunities that very few of us have. It's all well and good to have dreams, but I really wish someone had shown that idealistic girl of twenty (me) that bliss needs to be balanced with awareness of shared reality; that the world we inhabit is not conducive to nurturing bliss for everyone who wants it. Also, the evil American paradigm of getting ahead if you work hard enough is complete, toxic crap - so many people are ahead of me who have done very little; so many people are behind me who have done so much. As I face, again, the abyss of the financial unknown I am overwhelmed by weariness and anger; I hate feeling duped.

Dr. King said that Pharaoh kept the slaves enslaved by getting them to fight amongst themselves and that only when the slaves come together can freedom be achieved.

We are wage slaves. All of us who "have to go to work" whether or not we're sick, maltreated, the sun is shining, our child is in need, we need rest, or we'd just rather read a book and have tea with a friend. How did we get here? Who sold us? What was our price? Can we earn our freedom? Must we fight for it? Can we possibly come together to end this slavery once and for all?

We are good people; the vast majority of us work very hard for very little. Why?

I am privileged and oppressed. I have a warm, safe place to sleep; enough good food, a loving, support network of people; a decent place to earn money to pay for my basic needs; and a healthy mind and body. I don't have enough money to get appropriate care for my daughter; I am not considered an asset in business due to my background in academia and non-profits; the only job I could get is impermanent and far below my capabilities; and "following my bliss" has cost me hundreds of thousands dollars in tuition I will likely spend the rest of my life paying off - with interest.

We who aspire and desire beyond what we have are schooled in acceptance, compassion, and "the power of now." What if we defy our lessons? What if we throw off the yoke of the hourly wage - what would that look like?

Imagine for a moment:

Tomorrow you tell your boss you want better stories to tell from your deathbed. One or two of your co-workers over hears you. All of you are moved to silence for moment. A nod moves like a wave among you. You all take the rest of the day off.

- Or -

You all beginning talking very actively about how you could spend the majority of your waking hours creating better stories, stories that aren't about enduring, oppression, seething anger, or quiet desperation. This conversation spreads into the hall and the group email posts. The head man (and it is most likely a man) hears a rumor that production is down due to too much staff interaction. He reacts with new policies and penalties for talking to each other, blaming a few bad apples for endangering the company and "your families' well-being." These are ignored in favor of a "field trip" to another company where some friends of friends have come into the conversation to create new stories.

Imagination is sparked and breathing eases. People trade jobs or share jobs or go on sabbatical - all with full pay and benefits because the non-violent protests in HR offices throughout the region have reached the state level and the combined force of wage slave rebellion has awakened the minds and hearts of sonambulistic governance. People embrace the idea of working to live, rather than living to work.

Siesta becomes mandatory and childcare workers can pay cash for their children's tuition.

Fantasy - yes. So was travel to the moon. So was having a black man in the Oval Office.

Yes, we can!

What a trick! Following my bliss was misleading - and my hope and perseverance has led me into bliss!