Bear's Den: "Early Birds Get Worms - But it's the Worms... that Eat the Birds"

Now, I´m not all that bright, and loooong after… everyone else figured this out… I came to a similar conclusion. Yet, even I know that we´re moving stuff ahead way too fast these days. It seems as if our society has taken this premature modes operandi to heart because even the Washington politicians have jumped on the bandwagon. Um-hmm, but from a traditional American Indian point of view, two-leggeds cannot change the ways of the Earth Mother – only the Master of Life can do this. Yep, and for every up – there´s a down. So, while the early bird may catch the worm, it´s the worm… that devours the bird in the end.

The phrase about the worm being early for breakfast comes from a novel by William Camden. In 1636, he used the exact phrase in his book, Remaines of a Greater Worke Concerning Britaine. Yep, and it´s carried over as a way of commending early behavior. Ya know Indians have had a lot of doings with the federal government over the years. Most of what we´ve experienced at its hands makes little sense. So, this kind´a dovetails with another Indian saying, too, about Daylight Savings Time. It goes, "Only the government would cut 12-inches from the top of a blanket, sew it to the bottom, and think it now has a longer blanket". In other words – nothing has changed, but at least the government and blanket cutter can tell everyone that the day is extended and the blanket is longer. The truth is… you simply have a blanket of lesser value because it has been cut and sewn, and the day… is the same as it has always been.

Over the past decade, I´ve noted that merchandisers have taken the expression to heart. In mid-July, you begin seeing back-to-school stuff in department stores. Yeah, and by mid-September, they´re lining their shelves with Halloween doo-dads. On October 25th, with Halloween not even over yet, the theme switches to Christmas. Sure, and two seconds after December 25th passes, you´re seeing commercials on TV for Valentine´s Day, followed on February 15th by those for summer stuff, when… there´s still 3-feet of snow on the ground. Yes´um, it seems a tad too soon to me. Common sense is that this is all about making a buck – this cheapening of everything from holidays to shortened days. It seems to me that this untimely rush makes anticipation for children so much less than it used to be. And it´s the same for other things. Everything is getting earlier all the time. It makes you wonder if they may not wake up one morning and open their eyes only to find that it´s time to close them again. Goofy, eh? Hmm. On the other hand… I do wish that my domestic boss would catch this early bird wave. She´s always been late for any and every thing. Yeah, so I´m think´n that her surfing this timely breaker… might be kind´a nice, hmm. But uh-uh. I know better. She´s not about to take her board and paddle out there. Nope. She´s like many of the states and citizens in the country – she just sees no sense in the rush.

Daylight Savings Time initially began in America back in 1918. Many in the federal government loved this idea, even though most of citizens in the country... did not. It´s still controversial today. Common sense and the Creator´s design is that time cannot change. This mandated DST switcheroo causes many problems with everything from commerce to farming, all across the nation. But back then, in 1918, the politicians went ahead and made it the law anyway, even though it was far from what most Americans wanted. And boy… it ticked a lot of folks off. Many of those political birds who pushed for it became worm food. The law was repealed in 1919, along with a fair number of legislators who were voted out of office soon thereafter. But those ´fowl´ in government, who were so sure that they knew better than those that they represented… kept bringing it up again, and again. Eventually, it was made into a screwed-up law again in 1966. But the law was far from good. Like the cut and sewn blanket, it was of lesser quality than before the change. The compromise by the feds was that the states… could take it or leave it. And many did just that. There are states in the Union that don´t recognize Daylight Savings Time – whatsoever – today, making the whole thing even messier than it was before. But, here´s the kicker. Right after this, back in 1966, another slew of pro-DST politicians was voted out of office and became dinner for the larva. So there you go. Yes´sir, for every up – there´s a down. And while the early bird may catch the worm, it´s the worm… that devours the bird in the end.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

David Walks-As-Bear is an Inter-Tribal Elder and Kispoko Shawnee Indian. He works as a private game warden and detective captain, and is a novelist and syndicated newspaper columnist living in Northwest Michigan. Contact him at The White Lake Beacon: 231-894-5356 or visit his website at: www.Walks-As-Bear.com