I've been reading some interesting stuff lately. One book by the lovely Marianne Williamson, another by a survivalist by the name of Rawles who wrote a fascinating book about how to prepare for the end of the world as we know it. Now Marianne, I know is a hippie at heart. She preaches peace, tolerance, spirituality and justice as frequently and as easily as she breathes. I love her books as I always learn how to approach the world with more genuine compassion after each visit to any of her titles. I'd highly recommend her. Who knows - she may have Hippie Hero status pending...
Now this Rawles fellow-now he's hardcore. He really believes that the caca is going to hit the fan, not maybe, but really and sometime soon. He pleads an interesting case from easily plausible, like some weirdo viral pandemic, to the outlandish but frightening plausible like a nuclear electromangetic pulse. Gratefully I am married to a man who could explain this to me. The science behind it is offensive to my hippie heart, and I won't speak of this atrocity again. Anyhoo, on to friendlier terms...
Mr. Rawles explains how any ordinary family should prepare to care for oneself and one's loved ones in the event that our comfy, netbook-y, AC'd lives were suddenly turned upside down. At the core of this book are themes of self-suffiency, charity, and a return to living off the land. How hippie is THAT??? I have to say I'm fascinated with this book, not because I think armegeddon looms on the horizon, but as a manual for how people can free their inner hippies and align their lifestyles with one that moves fluidly with nature.
Despite my fascination with the book, it is not without hippie controversy. I cannot say I think the basics ever include bullets, and Mr. Rawles feels that bullets are up their with bandaids and some other B word that escapes me right now, mostly because I couldn't get past the bullet thing. If it were not for the chapter on weaponry, I would have honestly considered Mr. Rawles a closeted hippie.
On to my epiphany. There is a faction of the population that I unfairly stereotyped, and Mr. Rawles' book has helped me to see the error of my ways. It's never cool to judge or stereotype. I am encouraged that I can find common ground with the most radical of the population. We both believe passionately about freedom, self-sufficiency, the beauty in simple function and process, and that you have to count on yourself and good people because "the man" really can't be counted on for much at all. I am even more encouraged by the idea that if I can find commonalities with people who seem so diametrically opposed to my hippie living, then it shouldn't be hard at all to find common ground, and therefore compassion, with just about anyone I come in contact with. Thank you Mister Rawles - I found a dharmic lesson in your survivalist book! Namaste! Oh, and would you be willing to share some of those farm fresh eggs with me when that nasty virus comes around? I do make a mean egg-whites western omelette!
With kindess,
~Miss Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment