Crimes of the Mind/The Gift Economy

"I am the king of nothing

The emperor of emptiness

I don't have a castle

And I don't wear a crown"

The King of Nothing 

Phish

The days are getting shorter the temperatures getting colder and the full moon laughs as I wake to the abrupt sounds of classical music. Another day at the office. "Time to make the doughnuts"...

I am sure we all feel this way from time to time especially now as the X-mas season gets closer and the impending wave prepares to splash it's magically  charged stress ridden tidings of good cheer. Ba-humbug! I know I am not the only one.We start the season off by using terms like "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" Wait I thought this was a special time of year where people were focused on the sharing of abundance. Yet the rat race is fueled by rock bottom prices on crappy electronic devices that are supposed to keep us connected to one another. Wait isn't that what the holiday is for? Well, no wonder we get stressed out, pissed off and act out in strange ways were being bombarded by X-mas everywhere we go and I don't know about you but it's driving me nuts! No wonder setting up a tent in the woods seems like such a desirable experience. The simplicity of life and giving thanks for the natural abundance that surrounds us. Fresh air, clean water, good food and simple thoughts. After all isn't that what life is really all about? For some maybe not. But here is a thought as you compile the gift list this season. How personal is a gift made by someone else? Take some time and find out what you can give especially of yourself. The term time is energy is money seems to be thrown around most of the year yet when it comes to the holiday season we suddenly become time poor and credit rich. Seems like one of the greatest and most precious gift we have the availability to give is that of time. So where is your time better spent milling around a big box store wondering if you will ever find the perfect gift? Or just taking that time and spending it with the people who make you feel good and sometimes even the ones who make you feel not so good. Either way the gift of self will be far more rewarding in the long run. After all you can give a gift and it may be forgotten but, an experience will last forever.