Well-Fare

   A little post has been going around facebook about drug testing for those on welfare.  Something about how Florida legislation is about to enact a drug testing policy for those on welfare.  I can put out the disclaimer that I am neither a legal expert or political one.  I’m just a citizen who has seen some of the “poor”, rich in family, hope, and dreams – poor in finances, economic stability, and economic growth potential. 

   So, welfare drug testing, don’t have drug testing – I don’t know.  We are making complicated issues so simplistic in arguments that it doesn’t even provide the justice to understand that these are the lives of real people.  And, unfortunately, I also don’t have any big suggestions on how to fix this.  There is abuse of this system, which shouldn’t occur.  But, how do we really fix this?  How do we really, as communities, reach out to those who are truly unable to work and prepare them to be productive workers?  How do we move into the next generation to teach them with spirited compassion, restoring and renewing?  How do we address the real problems, without cutting out the source of provider that may be tending to the rest of the family? 

   There is a legend of a Gordian knot.  The legend goes that a city had a knot that was a centerpiece of their temple, with 100 ropes woven in and out.  It was extremely complex and none of the ends showed.  It was considered lucky to stop and try to figure out the knot’s secret before leaving the town, but nobody could succeed.  One day, Alexander the Great came to this city and challenged with this knot, he simply sliced it into two parts – thus the knot was dissolved. 

   This whole thing, it’s a great big Gordian knot, with well more than one hundred parts.  There are ends not exposed and other ends that look real, but are really fake.  This whole well (sound, able, thriving, properly, goodly) fare (get along, manage, cope, progress, advance), will hopefully become sound progress, thriving advancement, goodly coping, and properly getting along.  That will live it up to it’s name.  Of course, it will take a community to do.