Wow! Here comes the month of November – the month we traditionally associate with Thanksgiving. There’s always something to be thankful for – there truly is. I can think of many things I’m thankful for, but rather than typing up a list of them here, I’ll just mention one major thing: I’m thankful to those of you out there, in a truck or in some other line of work, who are choosing to keep working. I understand there are many folks who cannot continue to work, for a myriad of reasons, and I’m not begrudging anyone for that. But it’s also true that too many people who are quite capable of working simply will not. They would rather take what they can get from the government (which is funded by taxpayer dollars) and refrain from contributing to the resources they’re drawing from. There are programs in place designed and originally intended to help our fellow citizens in need. But there are also people who just want their needs met for them, rather than working for it themselves. I’m not really trying to go into a rant, I’m just setting up the premise of the following poem. Have you ever seen a mouse caught in a trap while it clings to a piece of free cheese? The mouse overlooks the deadly trap, as it fails to consider why the cheese was free. Thank you, sincerely, to the men and women who keep the economy going. It’s not just us in the big rigs, it’s the entire working class. We make our own cheese! I hope you enjoy this poem I call “Free Cheese!”
FREE CHEESE!
By Trevor Hardwick
Once there was this little mouse,
He took care of himself.
He went about his daily life.
And bothered no one else.
He worked all day and half the night,
To keep his belly full.
And you might be surprised,
At all the weight that he could pull.
He didn’t count on anyone,
To cater to his needs.
Until he saw a tempting chunk,
Of perfectly sliced cheese.
He surely didn’t put it there,
But there it was, indeed.
And then he thought how easily,
That cheese could meet his need.
He wouldn’t have to search around,
Or work for his next meal.
And since it’s offered freely,
He wouldn’t have to beg or steal.
He quickly lost perspective,
And temptation took control.
As it’s easier to take what’s free,
Then reaping what you sow.
He pondered all that he could do,
With zero effort spent.
And how much less he’d have to work,
So he might be content.
“Think of all the time I’d save,
By accepting all that cheese.
I’ll take some time to find myself,
And do just as I please.”
“It’s offered to me free of charge,
By someone who must care.
They clearly want what’s best for me,
To give me my fair share.”
He didn’t care from where it came,
It never crossed his mind.
Surely, they’ll just make some more,
They do that to be kind.
By taking what was offered free,
He surely paid a price.
When snap! he lost his freedom,
To a trap that’s meant for mice.
So quickly he gave up the will,
To provide for his own need.
He never stopped to ask himself,
Just why the cheese was free.