The other day I noticed that there are a lot of places I don’t go to in the grocery store anymore. I don’t go down the bottled water aisle, for example. I haven’t been down the frozen food aisle for more than a decade now.
Making our own no-knead artisan bread and homemade pitas, we never have occasion to visit the bread aisle. Likewise, the bakery aisle is visited only on rare occasions. Bagels are an occasional treat.
Since we only purchase muesli, cut oats and kasha, the cereal aisle is a 30 second trip. About four years ago we stopped buying soda pop and snacks – so that aisle isn’t on my list anymore.
Basically we purchase fresh fruits & veggies, eggs and cheese, a little meat and fish, coffee and tea along with nuts, dried beans, spices, flour and some pasta. We try to cook with fresh ingredients almost every day.
In fact the cleaning aisle and paper products section only see limited visits from us these days. We use cloth. We clean with vinegar (makes a great dishwasher rinse agent) and baking soda most of the time. Lemon or lime juice is one of the strongest disinfectants you can use. After juicing one for a recipe rub it on cutting boards, sinks or knives.
Of course, none of these are absolutes. When a guest is coming who enjoys sparkling water I will purchase it. The same is true of crackers or other items. However, they are no longer a weekly item on my grocery list.
A couple of years ago my cousin and I purchased a soy milk machine. Now we make our own rich, creamy soy milk for pennies – and share the machine.
In the summer the farmer’s market gets most of our attention. Over time we continue to adjust and change what we purchase and how we cook.
All in all, it’s interesting to notice where I don’t go in the grocery store these days.
If you haven’t heard of furoshiki continue reading. The ancient art of Japanese gift wrapping with fabric can be a great way to make wrapping easy, elegant and beautiful!
I like new dish towels or flour sac dish towels in colors to wrap a gift of wine or home baked bread using the art of furoshiki.
A large scarf can be used for wrapping bigger items or even to create an instant shopping bag! Watch the video to see just how easy it is here.
They are beautiful, useful and reusable. Bulky wrapping paper, ribbons and bows – gone! An empty shelf in my linen closet – yes!
Just like the picture above, I have often used a scarf to create a small coordinated evening bag. It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s great when traveling and it folds flat into my suitcase.
On other occasions, if you need to dress up in the evening, simply wrap the same scarf sarong style over black or white slacks. It quickly dresses up a casual look and is used often in the Middle East.
We have “Spirit Sightings” on this blog from time to time. Today I heard about the following one.
A friend of mine was returning from a winter break in the Florida Keys with her husband. Because of bad weather their flight to Minneapolis was delayed.
On the plane she noticed an elderly couple nearby. They were very upset at the delay. Evidently the woman had an appointment at the Mayo clinic in Rochester. It took her many weeks to arrange this appointment. A delay now would mean missing the appointment the following morning. She was distraught. My friend noticed that she tears were in her eyes.
My friend said to her husband, “I could take them to Rochester if they arrive late to Minneapolis.” He wasn’t sure. They had children waiting for them at home. But she insisted, “What if they were your parents or my parents? Wouldn’t you want someone to help them?”
She took the initiative and spoke to the couple. She explained that if they would be willing to trust her – she would drive them to Rochester when they arrived in Minneapolis.
A flight attendant nearby overheard the conversation. “Why couldn’t a shuttle take them to Rochester?” she thought. She spent the rest of the flight arranging a shuttle from the airport to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
Upon arrival the couple was allowed to exit the plane first before the other passengers, and a shuttle was waiting for them to drive them to Rochester.
Spirit Sightings are really uplifting. I am so proud to know someone like my friend. These are the kind of people I want to spend time with, be around, and be like. People like this remind me that we can be so much more – if we only take time to notice and listen.
If you’re interested, read about another inspiring Spirit Sighting here. Actually, although they are not named, both of the women in these Spirit Sightings know each other. I wonder if they will recognize each other?
In the previous post I discussed how increased income disparity caused by the power of global multi-nationals is creating a world we do not want to live in.
But what can you and I do? We are not victims, nor are we uninvolved bystanders, we are participants. We are not powerless, we vote with our dollars, time and actions.
I promised you some suggestions. Here are ten for your consideration. If you are already doing some of these – yeah!!! If not, start now!
1. Social change starts inside. We can explore our own values. Know what they are and live in a way that brings integrity to the best within ourselves. Eliminate any violence (physical, mental, emotional, verbal) in your own life. Meditate. Reflect. Pray.
2. Education. We need to become educated regarding the real nature of poverty. Get your news from sources other than American news companies. Read how other countries perceive events in the world. (Jerusalem Post, Al-Masry Al-Youm, Der Spiegel).
3. Read. Read. Read. Most of what we need to know can’t be found on TV. TV is junk food for the mind. Read how U.S. policies have affected other countries. Books like Mark Kramer’s Dispossessed and Jeffrey Sach’s The End of Poverty provide a good foundation and a bibliography of other resources. Request that these books and others be available in your local library. Other books include The Blue Sweater, Three Cups of Tea and Half the Sky.
4. Volunteer and donate to non-profits such as Bread for the World or Mary’s Pence, working with networks of women to solve the problem of poverty – not just provide charity.
5. If your church or community offers mission trips to poverty stricken areas – go. Talk to those struggling with poverty. Listen and learn from them the problems they face every day for clean water, food, housing. We would not last a day in their world. Or arrange a dialogue with some of the working poor in your city through your church or community organization. Find out what life is like for many right in your own community.
6. Buy Fair Trade and local products whenever possible. Buy produce from your local Farmer’s Market. Know where the things you purchase come from and how those who make them are paid.
7. Learn how extreme weather caused by climate change particularly impacts the global south, the two thirds world – creating more poverty. Drive less. Carpool. Walk more. Use public transportation when you can. Consolidate your trips. Fly less often. Shop less. Consume less. Live more simply.
8. Work to end sexism, racism and “isms” of all kinds. Discrimination moves billions of dollars unfairly from one group to another. Begin with suggestions in a previous post here. In the Twin Cities we have an inter-faith discussion group. Join us or start one in your community. Learn about the different (“different” not worse) values and perceptions of other faith traditions. Hear others’ stories and share your own.
9. Become active in local politics. Meet with your local politicians. Participate with many others in “A Day on the Hill” – a joint religious advocacy gathering today at the State Capital. Or work with MICAH for affordable housing in your community. All change starts locally.
10. What else can we do?
The ability to develop deep relationships beyond our own family (clan, social class, nation) and connect with others who are different than ourselves is what it means to become truly human. This is compassion. This is what brings depth and meaning to life.
We are part of the human family and the web of creation. Just like with our own families – this family will not be healthy and whole until each member is healthy and whole.
This is not an easy task. Certainly it is not an instant or quick-fix task. But neither is it an impossible task. Rather, it takes education, listening, connecting and be willing to make different choices. Come with me on the journey!
Pro-democracy protests, first in Tunisia, then Egypt, Bahrain, Iran and today Libya and Yemen. While these places may seem far away, in our global marketplace they are next door. The cry of the poor is being heard ’round the world. People everywhere are realizing that the corporate and social elites who control the global market place are not interested in making opportunities available to everyone. Rather, they are interested in furthering their own short term interests and hijacking (read “stealing”) the assets of society. I say “short term” because in the long term the effects of this strategy are self defeating. How do corporations do this? By externalizing the costs of doing business, taking bailouts and tax cuts. Social elites do this directly by removing a country’s wealth into private accounts. In either case they are taking resources that don’t belong to them.
The reality is that we are all interdependent and interconnected. None of us will really be well in the world until all of us can be well in the world. The economy exists to serve human beings. It doesn’t exist to support an elite few, nor do human beings exist to serve the economy. We are not “human resources” for the economy. Human beings create the economy and we change it everyday. We have a moral obligation to change it in ways that are strategic and serve the common good – the good of all.
The United States plays a key role in the global economy because most multi-nationals are U.S. corporations. Corporations are not human beings. By definition, they are incapable of having morals or ethics. The purpose of our government is not to represent corporations. Our government is charged with furthering the common good of its citizens.
Unfortunately politicians from both parties are supported by corporate interests. Corporate PACS, not those they serve, fund their campaigns and insure their re-elections. The result of this situation is increasing income disparity as politicians pander to the corporate and social elite. This has already caused the Great Recession with massive bankruptcies, unemployment and under employment.
We have already seen how a large income disparity creates corruption, drugs and murder in our neighbor to the south, Mexico. Is this the kind of world we want to live in? If not, we need to start listening. We need to start hearing the cry of the poor.
What can you and I do? Suggestions to follow . . .
The other day I noticed that there are a lot of places I don’t go to in the grocery store anymore. I don’t go down the bottled water aisle, for example. I haven’t been down the frozen food aisle for more than a decade now.
