I was waiting in line at the Chick-fil a drive through last
night; the 2-lane drive through just a sea of tail lights waiting in line. Surrounding me were shiny, clean, new,
expensive vehicles which cost more than I make in a year. All around me were people
waiting in line in these over the top/status is important/don’t you want what I
have vehicles. The drivers were fully absorbed in their smart-phones, most likely
frenzied as they felt compelled to take care of that last deal, that last job
to be done to pay for these expensive toys.
I was once that person who thought that if I just had “it”
I would be fulfilled and could at some unquantified point in time, throttle
back. The problem with this logic,
however, is quite simple: the more we have, the more we want. It is an unending cycle of I want, I have, I
want more, I have more.
I have been toying with the idea of drastically scaling
back. Of editing my life of unwanted and unneeded detritus. Sitting there last
night solidified my decision because here was the thing. Not one of these
people waiting in this double drive through line, in their much too expensive
cars with their “don’t you see that I have the latest Apple phone” seemed
happy. They just appeared to be stressed, worried and agitated.
After placing their
orders to that anonymous person on the other end of the box with combo numbers
aching to be called, they pushed that button on their electric windows to block
out the world once more. No notice was
given to the warm Texas night, to that sun which was sitting in vivid purples
and pinks on the horizon.
I laid in bed last night and wondered, “Am I the only one
here who is ready, happily ready, to opt out?”
