Saturday, March 31, 2012

On the Backroads

 

In my travels from here to there, I prefer to take the back roads, time permitting.  Lots of small gems pop up and then there is the clutter of civilization.  Over the years things have changed, like it or not.  When my grandparents homesteaded, there was no such thing as electricity or indoor plumbing.  Today it is expected for any and all homes.

What had been open country, dotted by a few trees, scrub brush and rolling hills.  Is now dotted with utility lines and homes.

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The barn and corral make a nice pastoral scene but right there in front is the utility pole.  Place for a yard light and lights in the barn.  Until the REA came around it was kerosene/oil lamps to light the way. 

Electricity has had a major impact on the way one lives their life.  It powers our homes, heats it, fuels jobs, a level of security and lights the darkness.  Without electricity I would not be posting this blub.  What started out as small generating plants for communities to large power complexes.

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From what had been a pastoral scene to now a cluttered horizon.  They stand there whooshing in the breeze.  Electricity flows off the wind in someone’s pocket book.  I turn on the computer and hear a slight swoosh. 

What’s interesting is the jealousy these things have created.  Just a few people get money from these giant erector sets.  The neighbors that have none, want some and they gripe about the neighbors that have some.

Oh the price of electricity has went up but it appears to of created another type of class warfare.  A struggle among the classes that has been going on for centuries.  The ones that perceive themselves as having nothing and envying those that appear to be rich.

Sop when I look out across the plains, no longer to I see the follies of man spinning but I see their struggles to live within themselves.  Envy is a bitter pill to live with yet so many harbor it.

A bitterness that cascades across the rolls of life.

Now where did my barn get off to.

1 comment:

Joe said...

More and more I think of Paul in the Bible speaking of godliness with contentment being great gain. The huge jackpot and the mad dash to buy lottery tickets recently brought this to mind. Once many find they didn't win (surprise, surprise) they speak of how they hope the person who wins does right...how about if you won? Man is a funny creature there's no doubt about it and I keep coming back to the fact that without God we're pretty darn pathetic.