Spiritual Business

Bali High

Down the street from me was a small corner shop. What we quaintly call in Australia, a milk bar. Over the last year I have watched its demise. While at first I found it amusing how bad the shop was, with its faded indonesian dancing puppet hanging in the doorway. We called it the God of Warm Drinks and Chips, as that's all they sold in the store, the fridges long gone and the owners desperate for any sale.

Then one day there were makeshift curtain in the store windows. In front of the curtains were crudely handmade painting on cheap canvas, from the $2 shop. Then weeks later in front of the curtain were T-shirts and odd clothing items. They were all for sale, the hand written notes said, that were stuck to the window.

Business was slow it seemed as the clothes hung in the window for weeks. Then one day they were gone and replaced with ball point pens and a few calculators, that were strung from fishing line from the top of the window. It was sad and pathetic and heartbreaking to watch.

I worried for them. Their slow and agonising extinction was following the trajectory of the global economic crisis. I understood how they felt. In desperate times, people act desperately. 

Then one day they were gone, like so many small businesses in hard times.

Yesterday I was thrilled to see that there was new glass being installed. new doors and new display cabinets. It is a positive sign I think. Things are looking up. Change has come and I wish them well. I look forward to seeing what will fill the cabinets and send them golden light of prosperity.

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