Fort Wayne to Valpo: A Fearful Update

We've had many people wish us safety as we ride on the highways. We've had many people wish safety upon us in general. And so far we've been safe, but the trucks on our trip from Fort Wayne, IN to Chesterton, IN (near Valparaiso) certainly threatened our safety and mocked our irritability.

There was significant road construction on a five mile stretch of RT 30. Cones in the middle of the road forced traffic onto the shoulder. We were on the shoulder. There were many times an eighteen-wheeler came within a foot of us. One truck came much closer to me as I was not yet riding on the very side of the shoulder. I'm sure the driver could not see enough space between myself and his truck. I'm sure that he was not sure that he would not hit me. Yet he continued. I think they have a name for that--which brings me to my next point: our host for this evening recently got a tattoo of a donkey on his left butt cheek. He didn't hesitate to show us while we were eating 24 ounce steaks that he made for us in celebration of our arrival. Good man.

There were many more trucks than we had hoped on each road we turned on. We must have been on popular truck routes. And going into CST from EST at about 5 p.m. EST only meant that we were in rush-hour traffic for an extended period. It was lovely. It also made the point to us that while we can attempt to stay away from traffic in general--we do, it's quite unpleasant with so many loud engines blowing disgusting exhaust in your face--we can't really do much to save our own lives when it comes to getting hit. All it takes is for someone to drop the cell phone they're texting on, spill the coffee they're drinking, or drop a piece of the sandwich they're eating on their shirt and they could easily swerve to the side and take us out...And so we continue.

Such danger, however, is around everyone else all the time as well. And, as you're reading this, neither you nor I have managed to get ourselves into one of those "freak" situations in which the danger that seems to be lurking around any corner finally asserts itself and introduces one to a different kind of view on life. Or death. Depending on your paradigm. So we continue. Hopefully not in too much fear.

Well maybe. Fear might have a big role in the economy. Fear might be better. You know, the fear you aren't pretty enough. The fear your muscles aren't big enough. The fear you don't make enough money. The fear that you aren't smart enough, or that you won't amount to enough, or that you won't be able to win the game or girl or social event in a way that makes you feel like people want you. Or makes you feel like you're better than the people so it doesn't matter if they want you. The fear of rejection. Oh. Wait a second. I meant the fear that you'll be hurt, more in a physical sense. The fear that you might put yourself or someone you love in harms way and lose them forever. Kind of like not being good enough and therefore rejected, only in a more direct, more physical way. This also aides the economy--we buy the safest cars; spend money protecting our possessions from people we'd rather give the power to scare us than get to know; go to great lengths to insure ourselves and our possessions so that if someone does manage to pass our security systems and take a few parts of our life we'll maybe be able to get them back.

Without fear the economy might really go under. We need more fear, folks. Because if people began to be secure in their relationships, yet carried a God-like spiritual disconnection from the physical (and all that that implied about relationships), we would need a different sort of approach to capitalism altogether. If people were worried about showing others kindness instead of attaining certain things so as to be accepted--worried about giving instead of getting affirmation as a human--the economy would suffer. If we were not so jaded or calloused that we needed to prove ourselves above others the media would lose immediate effectiveness. If we held safety and comfort--emotional and physical--at a distance while fighting for it, well, that would just make things a whole lot harder--both economically and personally.

I'd prefer not to. I mean come on, is it really worth destroying/transforming the great power that is capitalism? I think I'll keep my insecurities. Thank you. And keep exploiting yours when I get the chance. Now donate to our cause. I'm going to eat.