STATES OF MIND

TRYING TO RECONCILE THE FACTS THAT MISSISSIPPI HAS THE HIGHEST POVERTY RATE AND THE LOWEST INCOME EVEN THOUGH ITS POPULATION IS THE FATTEST? IS FOOD TODAY MAKING A STATEMENT THAT ITS ABUNDANCE PRODUCES CONTENTMENT? NEVERTHELESS, OVER-CONSUMPTION IS ACCOMPANIED BY COMPLAINTS. SEEMS TO ME AN ENCOUNTER WITH CONTENTMENT REQUIRES A TRIP BACKWARDS IN TIME. A 1960 BOOK CALLED THE GOOD OLD DAYS, REMINISCES ABOUT RURAL LIVING AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY. JOHN GOODWIN IN HIS ESSAY CALLED "SWEET MUSIC," REFERRING TO BRASS BANDS, SAID, "THE YEAST OF DEMOCRACY NEVER BUBBLES HARDER THAN WHEN TWO DOZEN BARBERS AND GROCERY CLERKS AND FARMERS TEAR INTO 'DIXIE' OR 'COLUMBIA, THE GEM OF THE OCEAN.' IS GREAT SOUND ALL THAT IT TOOK FOR AMERICANS TO BE CONTENT BACK WHEN WAR OR WANT OF VICISSITUDES OF NATURE OFTEN INTERVENED WITH DAILY LIVING? MR. GOODWIN WAXES POETIC WHEN HE CONTENDS THAT "IF A MAN PLAYED A SILVER CORNET SOLO HE NEED NEVER FEEL THAT HIS LIFE HAS BEEN LIVED IN VAIN."

TO RETURN TO MISSISSIPPI, A MIRROR OF AMERICA. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR PEOPLE TO BE CONTENT? HOW EFFECTIVE ARE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE REALITIES OF BEING POOR AND OF WORKING HARD? POVERTY AND BEING SUCCESSFUL ARE STATES OF MIND. LIKE CONTENTMENT.