Bag lady for the earth

   A few days ago I had some errands to run and since I try not to drive unless I really really have to, I gathered up some cloth bags and headed out. I had on some comfortable old stay at home clothes and boots because there were lots of puddles on the trail. It was quite a ways to the Good Will store where I hoped to find some picture frames for an art project, but with a break in the northwest rain, a spring-is-coming smell in the air, and a mild temperature, it was a good day to walk. I passed several people walking their dogs or taking a stroll down the old trolley trail but no one I knew, and since I was dressed for comfort not style, that was okay.
  After filling up my bags and making a second stop for supplies, I headed home going at a somewhat slower pace now that my bags were heavy. Seeing my reflection in a window that I passed made me smile since I looked very much like a stereotypical bag lady with my boots and long skirt and bags stuffed full of second hand things. I made a note to myself not to start talking to myself lest I really fit the description. This got me to thinking about those pioneering eco-friendly ladies with their well worn shoes and clothes, who used and reused, and carried their goods with them as they traveled on foot or by bus. Yes, I know from my work that many of these ladies suffer from mental or emotional stresses and that they are often lonely having been abandoned by family and friends, but pioneers often suffer in these ways. The example of their ability to set aside concern for appearance, to travel gently on the earth, and to survive with very little has merit.
   As I approached a major thoroughfare I encountered a gentleman of the road who smiled broadly as I approached. He was about my age, well over 50, seemed to be a little mentally challenged but he was eager to help me if I needed help crossing the street or carrying my bags. I thanked him but kept on going, noting to myself that my appearance this day connected me to people who were not of my usual crowd. This too got me to thinking until my daughter called me on my cell phone needing to talk. I continued walking while conversing with her using my hands-free Bluetooth gizmo.
  Around another block, just before getting back on the trail, a distinguished looking elderly man approached from the opposite direction. He called out to me in a firm voice as he passed, such as I often do with people in my work place who are mentally wandering and need to be called back to reality. I nodded at him but was a little confused by his manner until a few steps down the path. Of course! With my bag lady ensemble and my conversation to someone who was not visible, I had completed the picture. There I was, a bag lady for the Earth.
My appreciation goes to the pioneering eco-friendly fore-mothers who have lived with little and set an example for all. Transitioning to a kinder, gentler way of living requires breaking through stereotypes and learning new ways to be in solidarity with the poor and with the earth.