I drove on "E" for days. The dentist, after-school meetings, classes, they each demanded their own time, location, and 30 mile-per-hour speeds. It's more fuel-efficient to fill up the tank before it empties more than half-way. I know this, and yet...
Procrastination works OK for some things, however stranding myself on the street having run out of gas seemed a futile and self-inflicted outcome. Even with this foresight, I still couldn't drive myself to the gas station. So, instead I sent a very-willing Harold. He's too accommodating. I felt as though he was my henchman, carrying out the dirty deed of gassing up our family car. How is it that we even own that gas-guzzling machine in the first place?
And then there were other favors, far less vile in nature. Friends taking Anne home from school so I could avoid making an extra trip. Co-workers sharing food to save us a bit of time. Making these requests humbled me. Turns out, in order to care for our earth, carry out my professional duties, and be a responsible parent, I actually need others' help. And there it is, back again: community.
In college I recycled the ends of my juice cans. I actually used the "print-preview" function before spending paper in printing. I didn't even own a car. I took eco-econ-political courses designed to enlighten the student body about balanced living. The enduring theory: sustainable living can be good for the economy; a perspective shared only by some, even today in the 21st century. Maybe the community-building that ecological living results in feels more intuitive, less contestable than its economy-sustaining features. Yet it seems there's something of value to be gained by looking closer.
It turns out, though, that the magnifying glass focuses on the culprit, rather than the neighborly results of judicious transportation. The culprit is, of course, the car. It's way too easy. No crank, no pushing, not even a manual gear shift. Ah! And now I can even ask it to tell me where to go. Crazy. And yet, so easy. Pricey on so many levels, yes, and still so very easy to take advantage. Of course helping one another out builds community, so the question is, why don't we do it more?
Asking for help is hard, that's why. Revealing one's own needs means we have needs. When we have needs, it could mean that something's not working out just right in our personal lives. In fact, it's when we fail to engage in sharing and helping one another that something's not working quite right. It's maybe why we know so few of our neighbors, for one thing. What's becoming ever-so clear to me today is this: In order to make driving less a success, a reality, I'm gonna have to get used to asking others for help more often. On my mind now then: how do I make it up to them? Or is building community reciprocal enough of it's own accord that it renders "making it up" superfluous? We shall see...
No comments:
Post a Comment