A new life behind the curtain.

It’s reflective time now that winter has settled in and snow covers the ground. My bikes are waiting for clear roads without ice and danger.
If I had a smaller bike and the right tires I might dare to venture out despite the frost on the pumpkins. The way it stands, however, the LT with 850 Lbs is too heavy to hold up and actually dangerous to ride with the slick highway tires I have. There is nothing to do but wait for spring or some dry cold days with clear roads. Like I said, it’s reflective time.

On one of those sudden insight flashes I now know what has been bugging me for some time. I could not put a name to it but now I can.
For weeks, even months, I have watched people around me pursue their dreams as usual.
I watch when they buy a new car without getting excited about their new car.
I learn they have changed housing without being impressed with the new house they have bought.
A new camera does nothing to me.
I am not impressed with their ‘impressive’ different job.

Things bought by anybody are just those…things! A job is just a job and provides. Their life is ‘theirs’ to do as they please. I let them do their thing, buy what they want to buy and mainly watch what they do.
I am not impressed anymore.

The consumerism in America leaves me cold and unemotional. Ads still bombard me with what I should buy and what I should have in order to be ‘with it’ or ‘hip’. Yet, they have lost some of their impact.

I am not the man I used to be. Am I getting smarter?

Or have I, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, finally looked behind the curtain?
Remember how impressed she was when she finally came to Oz? She was even scared by the huge image of the almighty wizard. She just had to learn that behind the curtain is a guy pushing handles and pulling rods and pretending to be ‘all’ powerful and magical.
Well, I have found lately that those Oz wizards are all over the place. They are in stores and on advertisements and they want us to buy, buy. They want us to believe that they are all knowing and powerful.

Not only is that true with business but also when I ride my motorcycle.

I do not have to have the latest model in order to enjoy a good day’s ride.
I do not have to believe all the magazine stories about good trips.
I do not have to keep up with the good riders in front of me and then ‘over-ride’ my abilities.
I do not even have to travel to exotic places in order to ride my bike.

I also do not have to buy people Christmas presents, or even send those X-mas cards.
I am not saying humbug, because I like the traditions, but I do not HAVE to do anything just because someone pulls a lever or wants me to believe his or her way; or buy this or that.

I have a house, thank you. I do not need a better one.
I have a few motorcycles; I do not have to get the latest, newest or even biggest. I am fine with what I have.

I guess that once you look behind the curtain, once you get over the shock that there are people pulling the strings so that you ‘believe’. Once you understand that they are no wizards… you might even become content.