Sunday, May 20, 2012

What We Take For Granted

Yesterday Sven and I watched a documentary created by the wife of his first cousin Tomas, Gunilla Bresky: Blood Road. It is about the Russian POWs in Norway, who returned home to Russia at the end of the Second World War only to be placed in concentration camps by Stalin. The film made me realize how many things we take for granted in this life: food, water, warmth, relationships with family members whom we love, freedom.

The word “freedom” was used so much by a recent president that it feels like a vintage dishtowel, full of holes and threadbare. But Gunilla’s film made me realize how precious freedom truly is. We have our freedom here in the United States, although the country is ruled by corporate powers that influence Congress through lobbying and often do not make choices that are best for citizens, as, for example, what is happening right now, with regard to fracking, in Pennsylvania and Colorado.

We are free to choose what we eat. We can buy eggs at the Wellfleet farmers’ market, which opens on Wednesday, for example, or opt for the Stop & Shop variety, from a factory farm where the chickens are not allowed to wander through the woods, eating what they want.

As for water, when Sven and I went for a walk at LeCount Hollow yesterday, I watched ocean water run out of a tidal pool and was reminded that Cape Cod's water issue has still not been resolved. Drinking water flows from the tap but comes from our sole-source aquifer. That water is as pure as we allow it to be. Should Northeast Utilities decide to spray herbicides under the power lines, we will need to use sophisticated water filters if we are to avoid cancer and other chronic diseases. How absurd that our outcry two years ago, echoed by legislators, has not been heard and respected by the people in charge, ie. NStar, which merged with Northeast Utilities last month!

I suggested, by letter, to Governor Patrick that he include a provision for the protection of our aquifer in his negotiation with NStar, prior to the recent merger with Northeast. I tried to get an appointment with the governor and was told he does not meet with constituents, even those who supported his campaign. For shame! It would have been so easy to ask NStar to spare our aquifer when he required that they buy energy from Cape Wind.

Drinking water and breathing air are essential to life, as is eating food that does not produce disease, organic food, non GMO-food. We take these things for granted. We should not need to protest to obtain what ought to be a human right.

Comments (10)

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What a great post- you are so right that often we forget the freedom we have here. I am always thinking of it because there have been so many countries I've lived in where there is no freedom- so it is amazing to be in a country with so much freedom. Of course, as a result- some corporations take that freedom to an extreme- some people do to- but thankfully we have the right to protest- to keep knocking on doors. I pray that for you these companies will finally be willing to listen- it is ridiculous that they are NOT listening!!!

Great post
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Freedom comes at an individual cost. Our failure to seek justice and fairness for all results in abuses that we all suffer.
I felt this so strongly when I returned from a very poor developing country where people had so little. Barely any water (it's a desert climate), never enough food, dust everywhere. But instead of appreciating what we have here, it made me mad at myself for having taken it all for granted. And mad at those around me. I think I was in the throes of a return-to-the-U.S. funk. Now I'm grateful. Every day.
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I like to think that I take *nothing for granted, ever. Especially as I get older and realize that just being alive and being able to get out of bed in the morning and be healthy and positive is a huge, huge thing when all around me, things are (sometimes) crashing down. Because that's basically what life is, isn't it? Being able to keep going, even during stressful times or downright tragic times.
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We are a blessed nation in many ways and I know I'd have a hard time living in a third world country. I live by the premise that one person can be the impetus for change. So I try to conserve water and recycle as much as possible.
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Living Large's avatar

Living Large · 665 weeks ago

I wrote a similar post just this morning, Alexandra. I think sometimes we take our very lives for granted, thinking that we will always be given another day. I think people in developed countries who haven't traveled have no idea of what some other people's do without on a daily basis (and we don't even have to leave America, travel a Native American reservation and the conditions are shocking). Good post and good reminders of what we should not take for granted.
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The title of your post is quite a meditation, actually--profound as a stand alone. Brings one back to the moment, to right here/now.
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alisa bowman · 665 weeks ago

It's so natural to look at what's missing vs what one has. But we in the States have so much. Even the poor here are richer than the poor of many other countries. We are so fortunate. I try to remind myself that several times a day.
Yes the governor's office should have offered a meeting. But it could have been with staff instead of the man himself. Having worked for a governor, I can attest that there is no way that he/she can meet with every individual who wants a meeting. But meeting with a staff member can be just as effective. In many cases more so, because staff members are specialists, while the elected official must be a generalist. And the staff member was selected because the elected official can trust their opinions--they are listened to and do pass on what you have to say. So if your Governor's office did not even offer you a meeting with a staff member, indeed shame on them!
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This reminds me of some of the coverage this week about the election in Egypt. The people were just so overwhelmed and beyond words explaining their feelings about participating in elections. Do you ever listen to BBC's World Have Your Say? I do enjoy getting a worldwide perspective.

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