Disconnected

We are disconnected from nature and our own humanity.

In the darkness, I’m awakened by a sound of something that sounds like a red alert from Star Trek.  I stubble naked out of bed and towards my phone on the dresser across the room.  The glow of the phone strikes my eyes like a punch to the face, 6am.

I walk to the bathroom, shower, shave, and brush my teeth.

I then put on underwear, t-shirt, slacks, and then a stiff dress shirt.  I slowly button all the buttons, but look in the mirror I see I skipped some buttons and their misaligned.  The upper button is buttoned in a place where it’s not supposed to be.  I have to re-button the whole shirt again!

I make sure I got everything, give myself a pat down.  Keys…check…..cellphone…check…wallet… check.

I open the door and it’s still dark outside.  I hear no birds except the roar of cars out in the distance, it’s rush hour.

I get into the car and start the engine, I’m blasted by the AC.  I turn it off and turn on the heat.

I get onto the main road and it’s already crowded with cars.  As I’m driving, an SUV is tailgating me, even though I’m going 45 in a 30 zone.  Cars wiz past each other and one car cuts another car off.

I arrive at Starbucks and wade into a long line for coffee.  The line grows longer, and a dimwit is holding up the line, taking their time deciding what they want.  All I can think is “I WANT MY COFFEE.”

I arrive at the office the day begins, a day of frustrations.

The people I work with are okay….some are not, but I wear the mask and do my best to get along.  The phones ring, emails flood into inboxes….paperwork piles up.  My manager gives me instructions that contradict what he said yesterday and contradict what another manager said.  I do what I’m told.

1st break comes none too soon.  I go into the break room and the TV is set to CNN.  The channel cannot be changed.  The coverage is all about the missing plane, only to be cut away to talk about murder, mayhem, or violence somewhere in the world.

Lunch comes and goes.  More frustrations.  It’s Friday….I count the hours and the minutes.

Time to leave, jump into the car and make distance.  Traffic worse.

I get to my favorite burger place.  I get out of the car, begin to close my door when a car pulls sharply into the space next to me.  The car runs over the tip of my shoe.  I walk over the driver’s side of the other car.  Out comes a big burly guy with a shaved head and a goatee.  I complain that he just ran over my foot.  Through his sunglasses I feel a hard stare….he then muddles something about being in a hurry in an angry tone.  Do I fight this guy?  I let it go.  In California these days you can get shot for BS you should just walk away from.

Everyone eating at the hamburger joint is fat and sickly looking.  I’m glad I only eat here once a week.

I wade through traffic and finally get home.  I take off my clothes and take a shower.  I’m nude all night.  I feel centered.

Modern life is disconnecting us from nature and thus our own humanity.  The only way I can truly reclaim my humanity is by being naked.  I feel that modern society does it’s best to rob us from being human.  Maybe that’s why violence on TV, in the news, and in the media is okay.  But if someone is naked, society does it’s best to punish that person.  Nudity is a reminder that we are people, individuals.