HAPPY NEW YEAR -- AGAIN!
Next Monday begins the lunar new year celebrated by the Chinese and many other Asian peoples. Mr. Dissociated and I have gotten into the habit of celebrating every New Year's day that comes along, because we need all the fresh starts we can get. Once again, we can make resolutions to change. Not just the usual trash about losing weight and exercising, but serious stuff, the stuff I would want to do if this was going to be my last year on earth (which last year nearly was.) For that purpose, giving up french fries just doesn't cut it.
On January 1, I resolved to give more money to panhandlers. So far I've been doing reasonably well, but could certainly do better. I know some of you out there may consider that either a neutral goal, or a downright bad one. Your mileage may vary. The religious tradition I come from tells us that everyone we meet, including street beggars, could be the prophet Elijah or some other celestial VIP in very effective disguise. The first time I ever saw a beggar was in South America in 1962. The first time I ever saw a beggar on an American street was sometime in the early '80s. I can't remember the last time I walked down the street in either the neighborhood where I live, or the one where I work, and didn't see at least one beggar. I toy with the paranoid fantasy that the panhandlers started out as out-of-work actors hired by the Radical Right to scare working people into accepting less pay and worse working conditions to avoid ending up on the street themselves. It certainly worked out that way. So for my Asian New Year's resolution, I think I'm going to come out of the closet about giving to panhandlers, and at least make their presence and needs something we can talk about.
Happy New Year!
On January 1, I resolved to give more money to panhandlers. So far I've been doing reasonably well, but could certainly do better. I know some of you out there may consider that either a neutral goal, or a downright bad one. Your mileage may vary. The religious tradition I come from tells us that everyone we meet, including street beggars, could be the prophet Elijah or some other celestial VIP in very effective disguise. The first time I ever saw a beggar was in South America in 1962. The first time I ever saw a beggar on an American street was sometime in the early '80s. I can't remember the last time I walked down the street in either the neighborhood where I live, or the one where I work, and didn't see at least one beggar. I toy with the paranoid fantasy that the panhandlers started out as out-of-work actors hired by the Radical Right to scare working people into accepting less pay and worse working conditions to avoid ending up on the street themselves. It certainly worked out that way. So for my Asian New Year's resolution, I think I'm going to come out of the closet about giving to panhandlers, and at least make their presence and needs something we can talk about.
Happy New Year!
posted by WiredSisters at 9:46 AM
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