The Simple Life
Our Yao (SE Asian tribe) calendar picture for March features an attractive young mother with the sun in her swept-back hair, smiling at her little daughter as they sit on their porch, with sunflowers nodding in the backround. As I've had a hectic two weeks, it set me thinking about the advantages of a slower-paced life.
My upbringing on a South West Ontario dairy farm gave me a lot of experiences that would be considered unusual, now. As I also had the privilege of vacationing at a fishing cabin in Northern Ontario several times, I got to savour life at a level considerably more primitive than is usual here and now.
Many people look on that lifestyle with a sort of longing. Wouldn't it be nice to leave our gadgets and schedules behind, and have time to sit in the sun? But, how many could face the reality of such a life?
Water doesn't walk up from the river by itself. Dinner IS walking, and needs to be caught and dispached. Meanwhile, it is trotting around the yard, poohing at will (the photos leave smells out- bugs, too). And, there's always the question of cold weather, wet weather, toothaches and more serious medical matters....
Well, going back is not practical for most of us, but is there some way to slow down a little, to take time to enjoy just being? I think so- if we want to badly enough.
For now, maybe I'll abandon this machine, go out, and lean on my snowshovel for a bit. Too bad there's no sun today.
My upbringing on a South West Ontario dairy farm gave me a lot of experiences that would be considered unusual, now. As I also had the privilege of vacationing at a fishing cabin in Northern Ontario several times, I got to savour life at a level considerably more primitive than is usual here and now.
Many people look on that lifestyle with a sort of longing. Wouldn't it be nice to leave our gadgets and schedules behind, and have time to sit in the sun? But, how many could face the reality of such a life?
Water doesn't walk up from the river by itself. Dinner IS walking, and needs to be caught and dispached. Meanwhile, it is trotting around the yard, poohing at will (the photos leave smells out- bugs, too). And, there's always the question of cold weather, wet weather, toothaches and more serious medical matters....
Well, going back is not practical for most of us, but is there some way to slow down a little, to take time to enjoy just being? I think so- if we want to badly enough.
For now, maybe I'll abandon this machine, go out, and lean on my snowshovel for a bit. Too bad there's no sun today.
posted by John Elliot | 2:51 PM
3 Comments:
Well, I've been working through my willingness measurements for quite a while now, and I think that the only thing I would really have a hard time giving up would be my laptop. A laptop can't really be made an exception, though, because it's produced through a massive and complex manufacturing process involving all kinds of labour and environmental damage. Plus I would need to have electricity to run it and the internet to hook it up to.
I think it unlikely any of us will REALLY go for a major step-down in lifestyle unless we are forced to by circumstances. It's easy to talk about, but harder to actually do the primitive stuff at 5:00 am on a cold winter morning- which happens when you live without technology
I don't know if I necessarily want to live without my modern conveniences . . . but every time I move I wish that I lived a more simple life . . . you never realise how much STUFF you own until you have to move it from one residence to aonther . . .
Post a Comment
<< Home