By Margaret Wiltshire
First, shop Magdalena now. Save some shopping with China for when you can afford to visit that country. The small businesses of Magdalena help to make us the unique village we are.
Alamo Plumbing is not just a well rounded store but Betty and Clark have been community supporters in many small ways, many big ways, many times over. They have been heroic helping individual families and organizations of our community. They are real patriots of Magdalena, of our country.
Trail’s End has been a heartbeat in Magdalena. When travel is difficult, when you’re too sick, busy or broke to travel that extra 50 plus miles, you know your family can eat, because there’s Trail’s End.
All our small businesses have had the courage to offer us something wonderful against the odds of economic numbers. That doing something good is more important than making enough money to be a small country. That’s the kind of courage you want to hang out with.
We’re told Americans can come back, we are the “come from behind” people. Three or more generations for over 60 years have sat in front of their television sets and eaten junk food. Millions of us can not recall another kind of lifestyle.
Many of us enjoyed the bounty following World War II, but never all of us. Before that we were a land of struggle. Those struggles made strong people, inventive and persevering people, curious, resourceful and bold.
We were rich in resources as well and that never hurt. Never hurt, till we became resource gluttons.
These were not all “free and equal” people but they were strong. “Unequal” included women in all of the cultures and races.
We have a generation of women today on social security based on below living wages they earned. Now these women receive below living social security. They raised families and supported others in many untold ways through out the decades. Most gave years of labor freely at home as well.
You’ve heard the military expression, “never volunteer?” Well, women tend to volunteer. Heroic, no metals and rarely a living wage.
When you speak of patriotism, speak of these women. They don’t just serve in times of war and in times of recession but they serve all the time. In all the world, women are the Right to Life.
Most women, myself included, love giving and supporting life. It is past time to support women in their choice in life. Sometimes in history people raised, educated, protected and served by women think they have the right to enslave them. You can call that b...s or you can call it treason.
When a woman and certainly when a girl child says they are not prepared to serve as mothers themselves or for any other woman, believe them. This volunteer service (almost always 30 years worth) is best done by those who are going to try to handle it. Otherwise we invite a multi-victim tragedy.
I believe it’s not bailed out banks and big business that will be getting us back on our feet. It’s US.
The people who get off the couch, away from the junk food and back into real living can save us. To come back, we need muscle. Muscle in our brains and in our bodies.
What do you remember of your life so far? The times in front of the TV set, eating junk food are easily forgotten. Most of us have lost years being passive rather then active.
In struggling countries, children often mature shortly after puberty. In our country, realistic parents hope that their children will mature between 35-40. Some never do.
In struggling countries, children do not play all the time. For them being able to do more and more “adult” work has status. This was true in the United States at one time. When we were the “coming up from behind” people.
It is not status to have the most recent and expensive electronic toy; it is a form of enslavement. It teaches indolence and entitlement. If that is your style in parenting you are really denying success in life to your child.
Can you come back? You can if you want to.
Take your family to the Eggsibition at Bear Mountain Gallery. The Grizz Project yard sale is April 16, 17 at Golden Spur parking lot from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day. Garden group is active again, it’s spring!
Margaret Wiltshire can be contacted at Wshireoldadobe@yahoo.com. Margaret’s views do not necessarily represent those of the Mountain Mail.
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