THINK ABOUT IT.. .A DUALITY Look (or Forget about it.)

OR - are you rich or are you poor? Really - who is rich and who is poor? Talmud says: Ben Zoma says: Who is rich? The one who is appreciates what he has… (Talmud—Avot 4:1) THAT is something to consider. Contentment, acceptance - easy reality. So - who wants what? What is more? What makes us think we are rich or not rich. Poor or not poor? Anxiety comes to mind... IF I am worried about where my next meal is coming from? or where will I lay my head? OR will my family have their needs taken care of and maybe some mere wants! There was a statistical assertion that after a person/family made about $80,000. - that more money did not have a big effect. At that level.. or some such level (depending on where you live and size of the group of people supported by some number of dollars) - more money did not make a big difference in how a person felt. Security of that income is of prime importance.  Generally - one is rich ... or rich enough - if anxiety is lacking in his/her ...

How do you appear to others? Are you nice, warm, fuzzy - sweet? Or are you nasty, cold, hard - bitter? What is about you/me and the effect we have on others? Do we care? AH... do we care or not? hmmm.... "they" say - catch more flies with honey. Of course --- do I want to catch any flies? Bitter is good/better when the flavor of beer. Is the dichotomy -- sweet or sour? Does this matter??? NO REALLY... but it was a dichotomy!

Are we a nation of brave people? Living in the home of the brave? Brave in our strength and our honor and our justice and our generosity? Or are we afraid and if so of what? Are we afraid to share, of weakness, of prejudice? Each of us is brave and each of us have fears. There are risks and the risks are subject to understanding. If we understand what our fears are and why we have certain fears and then consider how we can be brave and not jeopardize ourselves, our families, and our communities - then we can be rational and caring human beings. We will have set limits and plans for now and the future. SO - I am not a risk taking person. For instance I hesitate to take in a homeless person for the night or day or week... however I want to help the homeless and do so with money and other resources I have which allow for giving/caring/sharing while not jeopardizing my home. As I consider other people such as migrants coming to this country I wonder about protecting my country AND ...

For example... when we consider the taxes we pay to government entities.. we think about what is the benefit, who benefits, what do I get and other things, too. I think Public Education is a good for all. An all-societal good!  Public Health is also such a good as the Judicial System (all parts) and Defense and other things are other important all-societal goods.  For Public Education there will be a vote soon in my town on a parcel tax to help bring salaries of teachers into line with other localities, AND their importance, too.... I hope. In any case a friend and I were talking about this and I noted I am 65 years old and will not have to pay that tax. My friend wondered if I had a right to vote on this matter since it will cost me nothing. Interesting point and significant as voting on this matter is done. People my age may not have, in this town and taxing area, any children or grandchildren in the schools. Such a person would get no direct and clear benefi...

Below .... labeled DATED:... you see  11/1/18 the date on that which may have been the first post. It IS the essential "Table of Contents" or "Index". Soon we will see how it is useable. And note: that early post may get edited so as to be THE one place with a list of either/or's for "consideration". A new one.. to be done momentarily: Selfish or Enriching... OR For yourself vs for others ==================================================== (DATED: 11/1/18 ----- and actual post title: THE LIST of considerations. Simple.... Easy.... Important OR NOT?   © Ken Firestein - 2018) There are many, many things to think about. And the time is always now. We have many choices and choosing is how we determine who we are. Who we, you, I am/are.... is the question for now. It is the early part of the 21st Century and politics in the United States of America and in many other places in the world seems to be at a tipping or turning point. In the US...

Looking at the dates of posts and drafts I see this idea is a bit over a year old (as of January 2, 2020. NOW maybe I will carry on and put it out. Essentially, probably.... I will not be definitive one way or the other though I may state a preference or side. So will you. Comments may be quite interesting and views in/of themselves. We will see. All posts should be viewed as drafts unless otherwise noted. Opinions/sides will be noted and dated as well, I think. "MY" current view(s) may simply be part of the text. This is a work in progress.... developing! ANYWAY - today - Thursday evening, January 2, 2020 ... is the time it is ON AGAIN! '' © Ken Firestein - 2020