I found myself driving home from work recently with a nice, tight feeling of joy. There is a realization that I am really pleased with what I have. Lovely marriage, peaceful home, grown kids that I am proud of, and an enjoyable carnival of pets (Max the Australian Cattle dog, and our two cats, Sabrina and Marcus). My own little bit of glory to call my own.
There is a Dale Carnegie quote that I’ve not always agreed with, but which has an element of truth – “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.”
I am particularly sensitive to this when I look around and see how many people are barely keeping their heads above water, but working as hard as they can. I could just yield to the temptation to puff out my chest and be proud of my achievements.
Treading Water
I ain’t going to give in to it. I’ve received the holiday newsletters from the animal shelters and other pet-related charities I support. As always, they are full of photos of cats and dogs who have found their forever home. It’s nice to know that your donations are helping with that work. But towards the back pages are the news that people are surrendering pets in greater numbers, and the shelters are struggling to make ends meet. People don’t surrender beloved pets because of inconvenience. It’s due to necessity and family tragedy. The family is out of a house or apartment, there literally is not enough money to feed the kids, or other tragic circumstances.
Towards the end of the year, I make my regular contributions to the shelters, veterinary hospitals that offer care to pets in need, and other animal-centered programs. The news and mail are full of appeals for humans. Nad people receive most of the money and attention. But this year, have you noticed the pet food drives? Or the number of strays around your area.
I am going to dig in deeper at the beginning of the year to help. I think this is just the tip of the developing problem: affordable housing, affordable food, and needed goods; It turns the Carnegie quote on its end. You not only can’t get what you want, but happiness is vanishing in the rear-view mirror.
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I agree. I saw something last night on FB that kind of trashed me. Now I’m saying, “Martha, you didn’t have to look.” That is true. I looked on purpose, hoping that a person I basically like, who was responsible for Teddy being my dog, had left the dark side, but no. I can’t change the entrenchment of good people in this. I just have to step back and try not to know because it’s impossible not to judge. The best I can do is just as you are doing, and that’s actually easy. Today I spent $120 on what was, last year, $70 worth of groceries. I can do that, but there are plenty who can’t. Of course, that includes the fees for paying someone to shop for me and another someone to bring it here. Those two things? I view them as charity. The people need the work and I need not to tote a bunch of stuff through the Yard Perilous. BUT…I realized this morning my heart is breaking, hence that sad little post, since made Private.
Martha, we had the holiday gathering today, and my oldest and his wife were detailing life in a corporately owned apartment complex… We are fortunate.
Then the discount of groceries and such. But by comparison to many, we are privileged.
Haven’t the ultra-wealthy ever heard of the French Revolution? Or are they just so privileged that they think their immunity covers everything?
I’ve had a bad day thinking of this, Lou. All around me are people who don’t see the contradiction in donating to food banks and voting for HWSNBN and his heinous agenda. My income is just a couple thousand above what is considered poverty, nationally, but HERE? I’m a pretty well-off person. Personally, I don’t think it’s privilege when the people who need the help vote against their own welfare, both senses. I CAN’T put my head around it, truly. 😭
The contradictory behavior bothers me, too.
It’s like they don’t see the contradiction as a form of hypocrisy, which is how I view it. I don’t think they get it, but I think for conservative “Christians” it’s a guilt salving behavior. Plus they don’t see themselves as part of the problem.
It’s awful, Lou.
Yea very likely plus the whole “rugged individual” thing out here, “We don’t need no stinking government” — they really do view government administered social welfare programs as government overreach. My neighbor CHEERED the increase dependence on food banks. She didn’t get it AT ALL. Yesterday I looked for somewhere to move but… I’m stuck. I’ll have to make the best of my little island of solitude and covert language among sympathetic souls. I had the shock of learning the other day that the people around me really do believe the propaganda. I guess I’m so naive I couldn’t really see that.
Not so much around where i am living, but when I liced in Maine, years ago, there was a similar image of rugged “Yankee” individualism and independence. I image that there still is.
Where you live may not be so unique, it’s alive and well elsewhere. and I recall that many of the folks who espoused those beliefs were not at all well off themselves.
I don’t think this is unique at all otherwise how could we explain the combined disaffection and the results in the last major election? This is exactly what worries me. This is prevalent enough to hurt us.
I don’t think everyone with pets think of them as family members, sad to say.
They are missing out on a lot of love!