In a February article for this column I wrote: “Mankind has been remarkably industrious since time began. Ever since God told Adam and Eve to go forth and multiply, the human race has made huge scientific and technological advancements down through the centuries. Outer space has been explored, Earth has been exploited, and now there’s a battle to maintain ecological balance so that humans can continue to survive into the future.” Of course, we are now hearing about the threat of “global warming” which is related to the same technological advances that create carbon emissions and other hazards. 

Indeed, “there’s a battle to maintain ecological balance”. And ecological balance in this context pertains to our social and environmental equilibrium, our health, the balance between perishing and prospering. Then there’s the balance between being an oppressor and being a sufferer. And sometimes the line is not clear between these two, because sometimes we cause our own oppression by how we conduct our business and our lives on this Planet. As Bob Marley say in one of his songs, sometimes we “think we living in heaven when we living in hell”. 

It is observed that often the ones who should be censuring themselves, checking to see if they are doing what they should be doing, pulling their own weight, fail to do so, but will be on hand to censure others who are doing what they have to do, even through much difficulties. Sometimes they remind me of the cat that was brought in the home to keep the rats under control. You put the cat there to do a certain job. But after a while, the cat becomes a pet; over-fed, lazy and complacent. It starts to sleep a lot. When the rats come around, the cat watches them with one eye, not even moving a whisker, then he closes both eyes and let the rats do what they want. By that time, the cat is a revered member of the household, so even though he’s not doing his job, you just can’t get rid of him, because he belongs in the home, and has rights, even though he’s not pulling his weight. Keeping the cat and getting the benefit of having a cat is no longer in balance, for instead of the cat being an asset, it has become a liability. 

Another example is when you have adult children to whom you gave the best to your ability when they were growing up. But now they want to crucify you because they feel you didn’t do enough. I’ve seen such things happen. Your children turn on you like a pack of wolves because in their opinion, you didn’t do what they expected you to do. And I suppose it happens in other kinds of relationships as well. When expectations are not met, vengeance is meted out instead of the one with the great expectations moving on and seeking balance in self-sufficiency.  

Then there’s the bigger picture of economic imbalance as seen in the Global Economic Recession. Where is all the money gone? I heard a preacher saying the other day that not one dollar has left Planet Earth. It is still all here, but where? Who has it? Is it because two percent of the world’s population wants to have it all while others are being deprived of the basic necessities? When greed has taken control of the mentality it creates problems for others. Some people love gold more than King Midas who wanted everything his hand touched to become gold. That’s how much he loved gold. When his own daughter turned to gold he realized that gold is not all there is to be desired.  

Meditating on this subject I see the parallels in the social dilemma here in a small community. “Nobody wants to plant the corn, everybody wants to raid the barn”. This is a great source of imbalance. Who’s keeping check on how efficient we are at pulling our own weight as a people with a national interest of nation-building. This is something we have to do collectively as one people, instead of what is currently the norm.. 

Ensuring that we build a legacy for future generations of BVIslanders and that they will not inherit moral and financial bankruptcy requires that we pull our weight responsibly, now. Sponging off the unborn is not pulling your own weight. Have class, have pride, and make yourself somebody. You are not somebody if you can’t pull your own weight, no matter who you are or what you may be called. 

Balance is the name of the game.  

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