for the love of you
i was driving home yesterday after a lovely morning spent harvesting carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, beets and salad greens, and i decided to tune in to NPR. The reporter on the air was reviewing sound bytes from speeches by both John McCain and Barack Obama, concerning their recent statements on the economy. I could feel frustration rising in me at the seemingly futile pitting of people against each other with the dualistic set up of our two party government. I sighed as McCain refuted his statement that the fundamentals of our economy are in good shape, rolled my eyes, and caught sight of my rear view mirror. it held, in its present moment, red and blue flashing lights.
i pulled over and rolled down my window. the officer approached. "i clocked you going 75 in a 65 mph zone. Do you know why you were going so fast?"
with out a thought, i heard myself begin, "i was listening to John McCain on the radio,".
"Ah," he smiled. "Got you a little angry, did it?"
i realized i couldn't continue the conversation without risking being misunderstood, so i gave him my license and registration, and thought about it. I wasn't angry. i wasn't even upset about getting a ticket and a point on my license--in fact, i thought about how i appreciated the cop for doing his job and holding me to account for the agreement i'd signed up for when i applied to drive a motorized vehicle. what had pulled me away from my odometer, what had accelerated my course across the montezuma county landscape was the wish for us all to get past this senseless, defensive and disempowering belief in dualism. i don't want to be against anyone. i don't want to hang out and hope. i just want everyone to show up in their skins and believe that they are, in fact, recognized as one amongst the living.
with the radio off now, i rattled with the windows of my truck as all the other cars blew by on the highway. the cop stepped out of his car after a semi hurdled past us,
and came to my window to explain my fine. "Just send a check or money order to this address," he said, and added, "of course, we won't see any of that money here,".
I nodded, and looked at him in his sunglasses and saw myself. right. not just in his sunglasses.
"thank you," i said, not knowing where it would land, but knowing i meant it.
i pulled over and rolled down my window. the officer approached. "i clocked you going 75 in a 65 mph zone. Do you know why you were going so fast?"
with out a thought, i heard myself begin, "i was listening to John McCain on the radio,".
"Ah," he smiled. "Got you a little angry, did it?"
i realized i couldn't continue the conversation without risking being misunderstood, so i gave him my license and registration, and thought about it. I wasn't angry. i wasn't even upset about getting a ticket and a point on my license--in fact, i thought about how i appreciated the cop for doing his job and holding me to account for the agreement i'd signed up for when i applied to drive a motorized vehicle. what had pulled me away from my odometer, what had accelerated my course across the montezuma county landscape was the wish for us all to get past this senseless, defensive and disempowering belief in dualism. i don't want to be against anyone. i don't want to hang out and hope. i just want everyone to show up in their skins and believe that they are, in fact, recognized as one amongst the living.
with the radio off now, i rattled with the windows of my truck as all the other cars blew by on the highway. the cop stepped out of his car after a semi hurdled past us,
and came to my window to explain my fine. "Just send a check or money order to this address," he said, and added, "of course, we won't see any of that money here,".
I nodded, and looked at him in his sunglasses and saw myself. right. not just in his sunglasses.
"thank you," i said, not knowing where it would land, but knowing i meant it.
posted by amy at
11:23 AM
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