Pleasure In Gardening

I enjoyed watering my garden this morning.
Seems like an innocent occupation, caring for plants.
But I felt a little guilt....
living in Los Angeles we are always worried about water shortages
so it becomes somehow anti-social to water our gardens

sometimes they even make it illegal and threaten to fine you if you water
in the wrong way or at the wrong times

so even this pleasure, the pleasure of watering plants,  which seems totally innocent, is tinged with guilt

on the one hand we are supposed to consume big time in order to keep the wheels of industry turning
but on the other hand we are not supposed to consume because it hurts the environment or something

confusion

to consume or not to consume, that is the question

I plead not guilty

I would like to be able to live my life without fear of punishment
to live by my own lights
to follow my own conscience

live and let live

I can stop listening to all the contradictory voices screaming about how we are supposed to be

I can remember what we really are