On Reaching An End Point

Earlier this evening, sitting at home getting some reading in (see my other blog) and reaching an end point in it, I debated with myself about going out for my dinner or not.  I can’t really afford to eat ‘out’ much - i.e., get a takeout, because I have no income except for my monthly Social Security check, and that doesn’t even cover my basic monthly expenses.  I have been living, to an appreciable extent, off of my savings, which I accrued from my S.S. 'pension' having kicked in whilst having my room and board covered while I was still living in the spiritual community where I lived for the greater part of my adult life.  That cushion is being deflated, getting depleted to a danger-zone extent (I have been living outwith that 'cover' for nearly seven years now), and I need to watch my pennies, as it were.  But sometimes I go out, to alter my fare, and get ether a fish burger at my (somewhat) local McDonald’s or a quesadilla from an organic eatery nearby, or a cheese burrito from a Mexican restaurant & takeout in another part of my neighborhood.  And sitting here, debating whether to go ‘out’ or not - i.e., as I say, to go for a takeout, I was reminded of something that happened one somewhat recent time that I did so.

Back further towards the beginning of our Southern California winter - which has a lot of sunshine during the days, but can be rather cold at night - I went out to my local Mackies for a fishburger takeout, and the young gal behind the counter was kind enough to point out a special that they had going on at the time, of ‘2 for $5,’ on a number of their items, which list included their flllet-o-fish.  I took her up on the deal; and shortly after starting my walk back home with my nifty ‘catch’ for the evening, I came across a woman organizing her big blanket, to spend the night out.  I could have given her one of my fish burgers; but I didn’t think of it until I had passed on by.  I have become inured to that sort of sight, with a large number of homeless people sleeping rough in this area.  I just keep walking.

My take on the subject?  One can’t take therm all home and give them something to eat and a place to sleep, even if it’s the floor.  And besides, the Long Beach Rescue Mission in this area - and the Union Rescue Mission further on in L.A.; plus some other such places - are doing yeoman’s work in that regard (and deserve praise for it).  But I accept that one can do what one can do.  And not so incidentally, I had been sending financial contributions to those local homeless-support outfits when I could afford to.  But basically, I personally have been waiting patiently to take over in the change of The System itself, which is pending as we speak.

Along the lines of a great story that I read many years ago, in a copy of the monthly 'Prevention' magazine, in an editorial describing their perspective, and philosophy on things healthwise.  The story:

One day a man was walking alongside a small river when he heard coming from it a cry for help.  Looking over, he saw in the middle of it a little child being carried downstream, thrashing its arms and crying for help.  Quickly he took off his shoes and dove in and swam out to the child, and brought it back to the shore; when, still catching his breath, he heard another cry for help emanating from the middle of the river.  Looking over, he saw another child in the same predicament.  He dove back in and, more laboriously this time, swam out to that child, and managed to bring it back to the shore; whereupon he heard another such cry for help, coming from the middle of the river.  Just then another adult came walking by; and he said to the person: ‘You dive in and save that child; but I’m going upstream and getting the s.o.b. who’s throwing these kids in.’ 

Well spotted.            

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P.S. Just to  clarify, on the eating front: I am basically a vegetarian; more precisely, a lacto-ovo vegetarian: I eat cow and chicken products, and with an occasional bit of further protein from fish.

   I'm a little leery of the fish, what with Fukushima and all.  

   But if it isn't one thing - including Extinction Level Events - it's another.