Work

There is a lot of work that I don't like, so it was interesting and convicting to read Wendall Berry's theory that racism is tied to economics. I don't think i agree with him about it all, but he makes a key point: slavery was introduced because people wanted to reduce their own personal workloads (and expand their wealth), but because slavery is demeaning someone else to a position you don't want, you create reasons to justify it. 

What I really find thought-provoking about his essays on work, though, is how trying to lessen our work, rather than trying to do it whatever work we were given well, causes wider social problems. Basically, by pursuing our own leisure and comfort and affluence, we're missing out on things that are good and even that we need. Or, shirking our God-given responsibility to work and to take care of the land also means less health and joy. It's certainly not how we're trained to think about work - whatever our calling is - and i think I would benefit from readjusting some of my ideas about it. 

Of course, we can't all be farmers and caringly cultivate the land, like I think WB would like us to go back to. But we can begin to look ways to enjoy our work more and not view so many parts as drudgery (i do feel that way when that kitchen floor just WON'T stay clean but there are a million other things to do, too). And although I'm not entirely sure how to live in a no-longer-agrarian society and still take an interest in the world we've been given, I can keep attempting to garden and support small farmers. 

Makes me want to get out some seed catalogs...and be ready to pull some weeds, too, i guess.