|
Seen Through a Dark Glass Brightly
NMB, Florida February 3, 2002 A.H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on Issues, Ideas and Reflections on the Times. Published Now and
Then. Opinions Pro or Con Are Welcome.
SEEN THROUGH A DARK GLASS BRIGHTLY
What is it we think about when we cannot see through a glass window? Most
people live secure lives safe from paparazzi, snoops and the prying outside
world. Here in Florida there are some who travel behind dark glass windows
on ALL sides of their cars. This is the kind of behavior that makes us
curious and ask - what is it that they are hiding?
The question must come up when we see great houses surrounded by vast
manicured property rising above the rest of us. The rich and prosperous
have the right to enjoy their excess. The rest of us try to make what we
have look good at least to ourselves.
But, this is not about ostentation or conspicuous consumption. I write
about the tendency to hide what is behind a façade of respectability. We
respect wealth, success and enjoyment of being somebody. We have always
known about them but recent events make us think about the how and when.
We all love to hear and see stories enacted before our eyes about the
"American Dream" being accomplished. I think we confuse the dream of
getting to a place where you are happy with winning a jackpot. Why is it,
when the stakes in the lotto "game" rise to hundreds of millions, millions
of ordinary people spend millions (in the aggregate) on little cardboard
tickets?
When someone wins we cheer and want to see what the money can buy so we can
see what will make them happy. The next thing we know, dark glass is
installed and we can only guess if they are really, really happy behind that
opaque "see through".
I am mildly curious but not envious. I was lucky to never have been in
debt for very long. I know of friends who actually went hungry at times but
that never happened to me or mine despite a wolf or two at the door.
It is the uncertainty factor that makes joblessness, homelessness and
failure so bad. We see dark windows and guess happiness is behind them.
But we wonder what is being hidden.
Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of 10.
|
 |
|