Lunch with Karma

Originally posted 9-9-12

I am a moderately devote Pagan. This just means that I believe in the power, connection, and overall importance of Life. I cry when I see a squirrel run over on the highway but I am not Vegan because I also believe in the cycle of Life. This means that I believe in reincarnation. Afterall, that energy has to go somewhere and it’s really just a given that I believe in Karma.

This is not to say that I like Karma. I hate it, in fact. I can’t decide if Karma is male or female because of how it seems to shift so. I’d like to have a meeting with it sometime. Forget the Dali Lama. I don’t want answers to Life; I want to find those myself. It’s Karma I want to talk to…

In a soft lit corner of an outdoor bistro, I sit waiting patiently and gaze at the stars. My companion wanders in, late as usual:

Me: Hey, Karma. You look lovely tonight.

Karma: I know I’m late. Don’t pretend you didn’t notice.

M: It’s not important; you’re here.

We place our orders and sit back to sip our wine.

M: Look, I wanted to talk about a few things…

K: Oh, here we go. I can’t just go out and eat. Someone always has an agenda. *sigh* Fine but only until the entree comes out. I want to enjoy my steak.

M: I just want to know what’s going on with you lately. You seem really confused and things are being done a bit backwards, it seems. I’m just worried about you.

K: Ugh, you sound like my mother.

M: Can we please be civil? I think I have the right to be concerned when you’re rewarding the selfish, the greedy, and the lazy.

K: I know what I’m doing. An idiot can do my job. You get what you give, reap what you sow, what comes around goes around. It’s not rocket science.

M: I understand that. Do you see why I’m concerned now?

K: Are you calling me an idiot?

M: No! I’m just saying that things seem to be getting backwards.

K: Such as?

M: Well, all those executives that bankrupted the corporations. Why are they still doing so well? And that school shooting, couldn’t you have helped one of those kids? The unwed single mother down the street lives in a house with full cable and food in the cupboards and she doesn’t even work. Why does she get it so easy while I worked hard and hold an education and two jobs but I can barely afford to feed myself much less have cable in my one bedroom apartment. That is so backwards, can’t you see that?!

K: Oh see? It’s all about you. It always comes back to you!

M: Well you can’t blame me! You’ve been a real pain in my ass lately. What did I do to deserve your cruelty? I’ve worked hard my whole life and you do this crap to me….aw, please don’t cry.

K: It’s not my fault! *sob*

M: Just calm down. Forget I said anything. Do you want another glass of wine?

K: There’s so much I can’t do. Hundreds of years of mankind’s freewill has evolved your society in such a way that I’m practically impotent!

M: Look, I’m really sorry I said anything…

K: I do things. You just don’t notice! Last week when you looked over in time to keep from being side-swiped. Or a few weeks ago when that vagrant came into the bar and left real quiet when you asked him. I did those things…

Nobody notices. Everyone’s too wrapped up in their own world…