Pennies from Heaven
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Jennifer and Ryker came running into the house, completely out of breath, huffing and puffing their excitement like they'd just run ten miles. "Mommy, mommy, you'll never believe what we found! We were riding our bikes, and we almost rode right over them! Pennies! They were just sitting on the street. We're going to give them to "My Starving Children!"
I was so touched. And I thought, When did the thrill of a penny change for me?
If you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. --Annie Dillard
My children's thrill at their simple "find," reminded me of a recent e-mail I received from Charity Focus. Every day they send me an inspirational quote with a corresponding article about "good things" going on in the world. This particular day the focus was on "Freegan's," a term for people that live off consumer waste in an effort to divorce themselves from "out-of-control consumerism." The article was fascinating.
It described Freegan's as those that "forage through supermarket trash and eat the slightly bruised produce or just-expired canned goods that are routinely thrown out, and negotiate gifts of surplus food from sympathetic stores and restaurants. They dress in castoff clothes and furnish their homes with items found on the street; at freecycle.org, where users post unwanted items; and at so-called freemeets, flea markets where no money is exchanged." (This description excerpted from an article titled "Not Buying It" in the June 21, 2007 New York Times.)
The article went on to say that many Freegan's consider this way of life an "ethical" choice, and they take seriously their complete removal from capitalism. It's an extreme point of view, no doubt, but one that inspires me to be more purposeful in cultivating a perspective that values "goods." Where others see trash, is there the possibility of treasure? As Annie Dillard said, "the world is in fact planted with pennies."
(Click here to read the article in it's entirety. Photos of some of the 'Vegans' digging through dumpsters and emerging with prominent works of art are included. You gotta love it!)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/21/garden/21freegan.html?ex=1340078400&en=fda4a5d4b29733b7&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss )
I was so touched. And I thought, When did the thrill of a penny change for me?
If you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. --Annie Dillard
My children's thrill at their simple "find," reminded me of a recent e-mail I received from Charity Focus. Every day they send me an inspirational quote with a corresponding article about "good things" going on in the world. This particular day the focus was on "Freegan's," a term for people that live off consumer waste in an effort to divorce themselves from "out-of-control consumerism." The article was fascinating.
It described Freegan's as those that "forage through supermarket trash and eat the slightly bruised produce or just-expired canned goods that are routinely thrown out, and negotiate gifts of surplus food from sympathetic stores and restaurants. They dress in castoff clothes and furnish their homes with items found on the street; at freecycle.org, where users post unwanted items; and at so-called freemeets, flea markets where no money is exchanged." (This description excerpted from an article titled "Not Buying It" in the June 21, 2007 New York Times.)
The article went on to say that many Freegan's consider this way of life an "ethical" choice, and they take seriously their complete removal from capitalism. It's an extreme point of view, no doubt, but one that inspires me to be more purposeful in cultivating a perspective that values "goods." Where others see trash, is there the possibility of treasure? As Annie Dillard said, "the world is in fact planted with pennies."
(Click here to read the article in it's entirety. Photos of some of the 'Vegans' digging through dumpsters and emerging with prominent works of art are included. You gotta love it!)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/21/garden/21freegan.html?ex=1340078400&en=fda4a5d4b29733b7&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss )
It's 12:44 a.m. and I should be sleeping, but I am up having a "chat" with you. Your voice comes through so strongly and I am laughing at the term Freegans and fondlying remembering "gleaning" in our college days w/ the Wild West house.
Thank you for having the courage to share your struggles out loud. I have always marveled at your ability to write your feelings down. You amaze me, and I look forward to continued postings.