Consciousness
I feel conscious in my daily life, pausing to look out the window frequently, noting the mounting piles of leaves slick with rain, and the way the sky looks like an old barn door this afternoon. What do I miss? I read at a Not for Sale event; this is an organization that raises awareness about child trafficking and slavery around the world. We can all be abolitionists, the organizer said. It’s as simple as knowing where your clothes are made and where your food is grown. I can buy Free Trade coffee and chocolate from companies who pledge not to employ or exploit child workers. Thinking of the women and children sewing garments or parts of athletic shoes is enough to make me try to be aware of the history of what I am buying. It’s challenging. We are often rushed and stressed. Money is tight. When we buy local, we help our own communities. When we consume less, we help the world. It’s a paradigm shift like the Occupy Wall Street movement. Success used to be about having the most money. Isn’t that what it means to be successful? Some of us are rethinking the obscene amounts of wealth that seem to be in the hands of few while many suffer. A lot of us have seen our own savings dwindle. Others have lost houses or jobs. Afraid to speak up lest we become the next target, we hold onto what we can and watch the inequities around us. Consciousness is visual, mental, tactile, oral, and auditory. We can look, listen, speak, think, and make choices. It is easy to become overwhelmed with the challenges of life yet looking outside oneself is both necessary and healing. It is free and powerful. These are not simple problems but I have to believe that individuals can make a difference. I choose to believe that my words and actions will matter.
Literary Imaginings by Lisa C. Taylor 