The Concept of the Commons

The Library at Wolfenbuttel, Germany

Good Morning, God.
I met some good people last week to discuss what we might have for the library at 15 Craigside.  It will be attractive, but primarily functional.

Ah, it has been a number of centuries since we spent this kind of money on libraries.

Money used to go to libraries, train stations, civic monuments like Congress. Where does our money go now? Hospitals?  Hotels? It goes to what a society values – – or what the wealthy value.  Big homes?  I say “wealthy” as if I weren’t.  Yet one has only to travel just a bit outside of the West to realize we middle-class American’s are all wealthy.  The trouble is — we spend more than we earn.  Well, I spend more than I earn.  Ah, God, it is SO EASY to be enthralled by the products of this world — iPods, iPads, a delightful array of Stuff and Books!  Although, I DO check the library first before buying.

I do try to recycle books back to the library.  I say, God, The Library is a Commons — a shared resource — open to all, benefiting all.  There aren’t a lot of COMMONS anymore.  Well, not commons in the sense of grasslands where the villagers grazed their sheep.  But, parks — national parks — are a recent version of the Commons. Land set aside for the benefit of all.

I’m sitting here smiling, God.  What if we managed to see, envision, manage our small planet as a COMMONS?  For the benefit of all?  How could we reward the “hard workers”, the “innovative” the “risk takers”.  .  . how could we care for the “dreamers”, the “creative” the “gentle and quiet ones”?  The drug damaged? The abused?  The impaired?

Could that happen?  Ah God, these moments with You always seem to get back to me — How shall I become the change I wish to see?  Or the change YOU wish to see?

About a moment with god

Story teller,