What are you barking about?

Now that the days are lighter earlier the dogs want outside around 5 each morning. Since we are getting more and more neighbors in our area we make a concerted effort to get them out and back in before the barking ensues. The days of sliding open the door and letting them yap at the deer and rabbits, distant coyotes and feral cats are all but gone. That's OK for them but it does make us pause and wonder about this world and what changes and challenges it endures. I'm talking about Earth itself. So many homes, so many new buildings and also empty shells of old ones, so many stores full of stuff we don't need, and yet (the universal) we can't stop acquiring, consuming, defying a way of life that is otherwise sufficient and plentiful. Enough is enough. Houses and garages are overflowing with stuff that is shifted around to make room for more. Yet, hearts are hollow.

We have too much stuff here. I admit it. We are drawn to art (ha ha, very punny) and books and critters. There are big boy toys around too. We're not as consumption driven as we used to be but we are more than we intend to be. It's hard work to re-train ourselves. If it weren't Earth wouldn't be in this trouble; we'd all be concerned and doing our part.

So where does the fix start and stop? That's an economical question as well as an ecological one. If everyone buys less, then fewer dollars go into the economy which means job reductions. That leads to greater debt and dependency issues. You know the story - it becomes a vicious circle.

Well, we're trying to do our own part by mowing less often, consolidating trips, making smarter choices, postponing decisions, giving more to others and counting our blessings. It's been a good 4 years since we've purchased anything from WalMart. They aren't suffering but geez, what a racket - that company has hurt everything and everyone. People spend too much on cheap SH** and do too much compulsive buying there. Then the stores with better products and services go out of business. Customers go back to WalMart when it is the only place to go to replace the shoddy wares they got there another time.

And, I try to remember to check labels and see where things are made. Yes, I drive a Bavarian vehicle but I want to avoid junk purchases, especially from China. Has it occurred to our leaders yet that this country is not only taking our money, our jobs, and have an ever-increasing demand for fuel, which apparently is in short supply if you look at the prices we pay? Do we give them other financial aid or just throw our purchasing dollars at them? I understand global economy, more than I understand global warming really because one seems, well, globally in place and the other is still being debated, so it's not that. What I don't get is why we are doing this to ourselves.

It's just time to start looking out for ourselves. Charity begins at home. It doesn't have to be major immediately. Infuse thoughtful living gradually! As luck would have it more of us are starting to spend more time at home anyway so we can get right to it!

I've ranted. Now I need to act. Write a check to charity. Load a box up for a donation event and/or drop off charity re-sale location. Take care of what we have. Plant another veggie or two. Hug and love those around me and as always, yes, count my blessings.