What Do We Do About This?
Each of us is on this earth for a short time.
We have nothing to do with the when, where, why, what, or who of our birth.
You and I are stuck with each other. And the 7,846,000,000 others who, through serendipity, live in this time.
For 74 years, the five W’s of my existence have been less important than the 6th question I learned in grade school geography,
So what?
What do I do with the life I’ve been given?
How do I treat you? And you?
Two weeks ago, I met a new neighbor. Ismail was born in Algeria and owns an online business helping to develop small businesses in Kyrgyzstan. His wife is an administrator at the local college, and their pink-haired teenage daughter attends the local high school. Ismail is Muslim.
Yesterday, across from Hy-Vee grocery, I noticed for the first time a tiny van with this sign: El Salvador Pupusas.
In Postville, Iowa, 15 miles away, Somalians and Mexicans labor at Agristar, a meat and poultry plant.
By the year 2050, 15% of Iowans will be Latino. (source)
Different-looking humans have arrived in this little corner of this little state in the middle of this enormous country.
Of course, human is an abstraction.
Pumpkin, too.
Humans haven’t arrived, but Ismail has.
And Maria.
And Mohamed.
Whether human or pumpkin, each of our particulars matter.
However, if you cut open the pumpkins on that rack, I’ll wager the inners will look the same.
Reader Comments
I love how NE Iowa is becoming more like the world. It’s good to have reminders, such as you mentioned, that we are part of something larger than what we see day in and day out. We are on this planet together and we are meant to share it, not claim exclusive rights to any one part of it. This is the only way we will survive – by sharing and appreciating each other.
I would love to try those Salvadoran pupusas!
NE Iowa is an antidote to so much of the rest of Iowa. Thank you, Laurie