The Readers Blog is a group blog, a collection of provocative, passionate people who represent a broad geographical, professional, personal and vocational range. New bloggers from other places and other points of view will join the conversation from time to time. Here, we invite them all to share their perspectives and opinions on the issues that matter to them most. And we invite you to respond. Let the dialogue begin!
Let yourself have a chance to just be
I heard a nice story a few days back about a doctor turned entrepreneur in the North East of Brazil. This region is known for coconuts, great beaches, relaxed/lazy people and a lot of poverty. The doctor bought a small handicraft company with a social focus. The people who made the handicraft did so at home and got a decent salary for a day of work. They were making R$ 50,- a day, which is R$ 1000,- a month (500 USD). Minimum wage is R$ 400,- , which is by any standard a shitty salary. So the money that the women at this company were making was not so bad, but no luxury either. If they would be the only breadwinners in their households they would need to turn around every cent to get kids to school and food on the table. It
thanks. Luca. I really appreciated your thoughts. Once I read the words of a Korean Buddhist priest who was in the USA for a few years. His comment was that the commercial mindset is so deeply ingrained in the American psyche that there is almost no way round it. He saw the attitude of "if I do, I will get..." or "I should do good in the world because ..." or "I will take a meditation course and then open a meditation center" .... as part of that mindset. It is a place of do-do-do. So few, so very few know how to just be.
Seems you are awakening to the same sort of idea, in your own way.
All the best and enjoy the plunge and the swim!
Anne Thomas (Japan)
posted by Anne Thomas on 2/ 6/2008 9:08 pm