Two voices speak through the land that was once called the land of opportunities…
I care and I don’t care. Let’s call the voice I care – Carry and the voice I don’t care – Donny. Let’s give both characters a voice while we, the readers remain observers, not taking sides until the story comes to an end.
Let’s give it a go…
Donny: “The most frequent statement in our former president’s speeches was ‘I don’t care.’ If the leader of my country, the most powerful man in the world thinks, feels, and does according to the guiding principle of ‘I don’t care’, why should I? He represents the epitome of success by all standards defined in any school textbook. Power, success, prestige, money, position. That is what I aspire to become, to be! I will do as I will, my way or highway, success above anything. I will use any means to reach my desired end!”
Carry: “I do care. I don’t mind if the leader of my country thinks, feels, and does according to ‘I don’t care’ principle. To me, he represents an example, more powerful than any school textbook that has ever been written before. He reminds us that we always have a choice, no matter how powerful we become. The only way to remain united is when we care, ‘we don’t care’ attitude leads to division. We care for ourselves, our own well-being, for one another, we care for our neighbors, friends, family, and strangers. Every action counts. We are all guests on this planet earth, we can never become the hosts. We come and we go.”
Donny: “Why would I care? I am the center of attention! It is me who decides what is good for me and you. I am the deal maker. Reaching my goal is my ultimate happiness. My genius mind will find a way, any loophole in the system to push through. I will use any means possible to reach the end, I will employ the smartest people to help, make them my allies, and share with them the slice of my pie they won’t be able to resist. Everybody can be bought, don’t be fooled in any other way. I just need to find your weakest spot and I will get you like the spider catches a fly. Needed be, I will seduce, hunt, lie, manipulate. I will even induce fear and create chaos to assert my power and reinforce control.”
Carry: “Everything in life is interconnected. Every action has at least one reaction and carries a ripple effect further than your thoughts can reach. The choices you make matter. What happens when I generate inner peace, compassion, generosity towards my fellow beings? What happens when I become considerate towards others – human and non-human? What happens when I choose to make decisions from the place of unity within? I’m well off, the others are taken care of, nature doesn’t suffer, children have a better future. I choose to protect nature; I am not driven by the short-term financial gains that will impoverish humanity in the longer term. There are woodlands, ecosystems that took thousands of years to establish – I have a heart, I have a moral obligation towards future generations to protect all the animals that live in that forest, all the medicine that is yet to be discovered, the intelligence of nature we have not yet been able to tap in, learn from, all the solutions that are yet to be revealed.”
Donny: “I swear by my mantra ‘I don’t care’ and I don’t care what you think or say because I don’t care. Life is all about competition, I have to succeed, I have to be better, faster, taller, more beautiful, wealthier, and smarter than my colleagues. For all I know, you could be my threat, my obstacle towards my fastest route to success. If I let you be and do your things it may impede my fast track towards my triumph. I have more rights than you do, my forefathers have worked hard to build this country into what it is today. I have the right to complain, to moan, and squander your joy if that’s what it takes to bring you down and give me satisfaction and fuel to reach my next stepping stone. Nature – piff, paff, puff.”
Carry: “I have a different definition of material prosperity and I am not poor. All my needs are met and beyond. The magnitude of my prosperity comes from how much I care about others. It’s defined by the expansion of my heart. My heart is big enough to embrace anyone who comes my way. I look up to people; from what little I know; everyone could be my teacher. The enigma called America affords maximum freedom to everyone, it is the land of equal opportunities for all its fellow citizens.
Being a citizen of this land means I have an all-encompassing heart that accepts everyone and gives everyone space to thrive, to be. There was a time in my life when I didn’t know much, yet thanks to those who could see beyond my temporary limitations, when I was slow, not perfect I was given space and time to grow into what I am today. Imperfectly perfect, happy to serve, to support others on their way towards their success. Unity and freedom is what gives strength, prosperity, and glory our nation was revered once upon a golden time.”
Donny: “I don’t care, and I don’t understand what you’re saying. For me it’s all about survival of the fittest”.
Carry: “That’s ok. I care. I care with all my heart. Love conquers all – it’s a quality of heart that goes beyond understanding. We all project our own reality – we create it every day. What you feel, you think, you do is your reality. What I think, I feel, I do, is my reality.
Many centuries ago, it was the greedy habit of the ego that took over this continent. Thanksgiving happened in 1789 – we became more accepting, grateful, welcoming. A few decades ago, we again entered the cycle of poor habits. The sign waves continue and history repeats. This too shall change. The cycle can be broken not by opposing or fighting it, but by stepping out and watching it. As within so without.
It applies to every ant, every human being, everything divine or less divine. Everyone has a choice, every single moment defines our reality, and the reality of each and every one of us defines the collective reality. So is, what is. No shame, no blame, no judgment. You and me, we both exist, we both look similar, yet our levels of awareness differs. I care and you don’t. Life is a journey, and there is to say.”
…what have I learned from this story? Watching two distinct perspectives on life one can choose to operate from? When one is able to choose.
Life is not about perfection; it’s about caring for each other. Mother nature is brilliant not because she is brilliant in what she does, but because she wants what is best for her children – her actions speak louder than our words. She demonstrates tirelessly through an act of selfless serving, giving herself up for everyone to succeed, to be free. Allowing freedom and space to learn, to be, even when sometimes at her own expense. To both, those who care and those who don’t – well, perhaps not quite yet.
