The Really Truly Rich List
This week CERES is advertising about a dozen new roles on the Working for Victoria Sidekicker platform – there’s everything from market gardening to digital marketing.
Whenever people are deciding to come and work at CERES, I always wonder about the thought processes they must go through?
Joining any community organisation is an “ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” sort of proposition.
It’s a noble sentiment but far from the dominant voice in our collective ears.
Almost everywhere else the contrary question is voiced – numerous “Rich Lists” exist solely to celebrate, rank and profile the world’s wealthiest individuals, egging on the rest us to envy and emulate.
These days no matter what Elon Musk may actually be doing, his name is always tagged with the epithet “world’s richest man”.
But it often occurs to me that having the most money doesn’t necessarily equate to being the richest person.
This prompts an idea – perhaps CERES could create its own counter list – The CERES Really Truly Rich List – a list of people who live incredibly rich lives serving our community and country.
A quickly assembled selection criteria would possibly include, but not be limited to, things such as;
– Deep friendships with a wide diversity of people, animals, trees and bodies of water
– An ability to grow very sweet dutch carrots or similarly difficult fruits and vegetables
– Can get hold of a ute, industrial sewing machine, canoe or tickets to a show with a phone call
– Belongs to a conversation circle of currawongs, magpies or other local fauna
– Bakes a cheesecake that renders people speechless
– Works as part of a tight-knit, highly skilled team fixing dodgy knees and broken personal items of great sentimental value or similar
– Always remembers old song lyrics around campfires
– Is the person everyone wants at a birth or wedding or fight to save an endangered wetland
– Owns a killer straw hat and a great bicycle
It’s funny but when I actually try singling out the richest people in our community my great Really Truly Rich List idea falls apart.
It gets all muddy and hard to tell whether it’s the person or the community of reciprocal relationships where the richness lies.
For one of us to be really truly rich, do we all have to be? Damn that equality!
Have a great week,
Chris
