Monday, April 16, 2012


JOURNEYS OF THE SPIRIT

In the morning there are trees everywhere, as though they crept up on my consciousness during the night. They shine green in the window, welcome me into the day. Warblers warble in them. Sunlight twinkles through them. Out in the morning, the farmers are at work early, readying their paddies.

Yesterday the farmer who owns the paddy across the road spent most of the day fortifying the paddy wall, using the long hoe made for the purpose, in a rhythmic dance with the earth. All the paddies in their eachness fit together like perfect facets on the vast green gem they make of the mountainside. The farmer's work is thus a matter of beauty, as compared to the manufactured concrete or metal paddy wall units more modern farmers use to achieve the same purpose.

The traditional mud wall has to be tended more often, like any work of art, but the rice no doubt appreciates the attention in some vegetably emotional way we know nothing of, is more contented rice, and so offers more content to the consumer. The farmer as well is no doubt the better for it in body and mind, lives better, sleeps better, has better generations, and is less out of pocket.

I can imagine the rationalizing arguments for the new ways: how they save time, even though they cost way more than mud and must at some point be discarded and replaced. Commerce, as a science, knows nothing of the spirit or its journey through time, a journey that is impossible when time is money.


5 comments:

Kalei's Best Friend said...

I agree, the 'old' ways are better, even tho time is money sometimes the technology doesn't hit all bases like the old ways and that's all because money is a constant in the mind.

Folkways Note Book said...

A wonderful post. Especially liked your closing, "Commerce, as a science, knows nothing of the spirit or its journey through time, a journey that is impossible when time is money." So true. -- barbara

deanna said...

I greatly appreciate contentment in the vegetably emotional way.

June Calender said...

Beautifully said -- observed with taste and depth.

NJBiru said...

and I doubt that that farmer needs to go to the gym.