It’s amazing what people will do for money. We take it upon ourselves to weigh the scales of Ma'at and cast judgment on the people who represent morality and leadership in our society – people who we hope will represent these things, anyway. But really, there is no difference between the politician, medical doctor, lawyer, banker, or Pastor John down the street. Living by one’s personal code of honor is a great way to instill conscience, moral dignity, and socially accepted ethical standards, but at the end of the month, the biggest check still goes to the biggest weasel on the block.
Anyone can be bought. Survivability in a society dependent on economics means cash is the ultimate king. Most people who aren’t caught up in the cult of their religious beliefs are focused on making their way in life easier through their own hard work and street smarts. If the money’s good, and you’re in need, it doesn’t matter one bit what you said you’d never do. You do what you do to get by and get ahead.
If you’re a millionaire, a business man, or a representative in the government, going against your internal grain in exchange for money means you’re corrupt. For everybody else, it means you’re a sellout.
It’s all a lie. An act, a sham that brings no fulfillment, no serene sense of satisfaction or afterglow of peace once the thing is done.
Sigh. It’s time I confessed. I’m a sellout – or rather, I used to be. For the first 10 months of my writing career I wrote research articles and web blogs for drug and alcohol rehab facilities.
There it is. That’s my secret. I wrote articles explaining the dangers of alcohol, illegal, and prescription drugs, encouraged people addicted and dependent on external substances to check in to rehab and go through detox, and informed visitors about the latest scientific “research” that proves yet again why drugs are so addictive.
No more! From here on out I want the world to know that I exercise my right to free speech along with my right to pursue happiness. I intend to cover the stories and research about marijuana that are positive and thoughtful in nature, candidly honest, and informative on all levels.
Responsible, recreational use of alcohol is tolerated within our society, even when there are those among us who cannot act responsibly during or after its use. Enjoying a quiet moment at home to smoke out with your honey isn’t anymore a criminal activity than eating chocolate or making love. You can still be a responsible member of society when you smoke pot.
Moderation in all things brings pleasure to the senses but does not overload, keeps enjoyment of the thing in balance and awakens us to a sense of wonder not found in everyday life. The orange-violet sky at sunset wouldn’t take your breath away if it looked like that all the time. And you sure as hell won’t notice it if all you’re focused on is money.
To lead an authentic life, you have to be authentic with yourself. And like many truths, it takes experiencing a thing to fully understand the wisdom within the words.
May the words on the page be forever filled with the natural truths of all my days. Namaste.
