Greetings Dear Reader,
I know that times change and that we reinvent how we do things in the world. Some things need to be changed. Reluctantly I admit that sliced bread and the wheel have value. I can see the value of some canned foods and even frozen ones. We cannot have everything stay the same or our culture would stagnate. I have gotten dirty looks from both my sons for owning a box of pancake mix, though I did not use it for pancakes.
Most things in our society have changed and in many ways cheapened in quality. Cracker Jack® used to have real prizes in every box. Things like whistles and compasses offered no end of fun for those who ate the candy coated popcorn and peanuts. Breakfast cereals used to double as treasure troves of prizes found in the package.
Things used to be made of steel and stone. Now we can buy fake rock and there are car parts made of aluminized wax. That is wax and aluminum mixed together. I had a car that had aluminized wax parts. I touched one of those parts on a hot Georgia summer day and it was so soft it dented.
Recently I was honored to be the guest speaker at a local civic club. The people were kind. They do great things for the community and promote local business in a positive way. As the “guest of honor” I was seated next to one of the founding members of this chapter. This distinguished business man held perfect attendance for fifty years at the organization.
As I returned from the breakfast line with my plate, the elderly gentleman looked at my plate and then may clear eye contact with me. A look of sadness filled his eyes as he grunted out two words, “Prefabricated Omelets’.” It dawned on me as we talked over our breakfast of the ills of a packaged and artificial society that before me sat an octogenarian who held many of the same views my sons hold about the impurity of things in our society.
I dwelt for some time that day on the artistry that is supposed to be involved in an omelet’. Even though I am a very experience cook I struggle with the creation of this particular breakfast marvel. Mine always tear, usually due to my own impatience. What I had seen that morning was more like an egg tortilla with cheese folded in the middle.
At what point does our attempt to be efficient eclipse the necessary artistry in our society? At what juncture do we cross a line that sacrifices the soul for the bottom line? My sons talk about things like slow food and buying locally. I compare my prefabricated egg taco to the most excellent BLT’s I have enjoyed recently. The latter were made with home grown tomatoes, non-iceberg lettuce, and apple smoked bacon. They were hand crafted with love not produced by a machine. Yes, I agree with my elderly friend and express as he did with a loud harrumph, “Prefabricated Omelets’.”
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
I know that times change and that we reinvent how we do things in the world. Some things need to be changed. Reluctantly I admit that sliced bread and the wheel have value. I can see the value of some canned foods and even frozen ones. We cannot have everything stay the same or our culture would stagnate. I have gotten dirty looks from both my sons for owning a box of pancake mix, though I did not use it for pancakes.
Most things in our society have changed and in many ways cheapened in quality. Cracker Jack® used to have real prizes in every box. Things like whistles and compasses offered no end of fun for those who ate the candy coated popcorn and peanuts. Breakfast cereals used to double as treasure troves of prizes found in the package.
Things used to be made of steel and stone. Now we can buy fake rock and there are car parts made of aluminized wax. That is wax and aluminum mixed together. I had a car that had aluminized wax parts. I touched one of those parts on a hot Georgia summer day and it was so soft it dented.
Recently I was honored to be the guest speaker at a local civic club. The people were kind. They do great things for the community and promote local business in a positive way. As the “guest of honor” I was seated next to one of the founding members of this chapter. This distinguished business man held perfect attendance for fifty years at the organization.
As I returned from the breakfast line with my plate, the elderly gentleman looked at my plate and then may clear eye contact with me. A look of sadness filled his eyes as he grunted out two words, “Prefabricated Omelets’.” It dawned on me as we talked over our breakfast of the ills of a packaged and artificial society that before me sat an octogenarian who held many of the same views my sons hold about the impurity of things in our society.
I dwelt for some time that day on the artistry that is supposed to be involved in an omelet’. Even though I am a very experience cook I struggle with the creation of this particular breakfast marvel. Mine always tear, usually due to my own impatience. What I had seen that morning was more like an egg tortilla with cheese folded in the middle.
At what point does our attempt to be efficient eclipse the necessary artistry in our society? At what juncture do we cross a line that sacrifices the soul for the bottom line? My sons talk about things like slow food and buying locally. I compare my prefabricated egg taco to the most excellent BLT’s I have enjoyed recently. The latter were made with home grown tomatoes, non-iceberg lettuce, and apple smoked bacon. They were hand crafted with love not produced by a machine. Yes, I agree with my elderly friend and express as he did with a loud harrumph, “Prefabricated Omelets’.”
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
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Prefabricated Omelets indeed.
ReplyDeleteThe same sentiment was put more strongly to me more than once ...
"Worshipers of the little tin god efficiency deserve their fate".
Consider.