I cannot believe that it has been a 2 months since I have written on my weekly blog. It is hard to think of what has gone on in the past month, or what will be going on for that matter. I will just start with my recent thoughts.
One would think that leading a simple life would be easier than living a complicated life. I don't think this is true. There are numerous venues devoted to teaching us how to live simply, magazines, television, books and radio. Simple living is big business. I have always tried to keep it all simple in my life. It is getting to me!!
I left work the other day and saw a bumper sticker that said Less is More. That brought me back to my youth. The time when I was forming who I was to become. My goal was not to have the big house, money and vacations. It was to have what I had as a child...nothing!!!
That is how I felt then. We did not have a large new house, a beautiful car, I can remember only 2 family vacations and many of my clothes were hand me downs with some strangers name on the waistband. I did have 8 brothers and sisters, grandparents and aunts and uncles who lived down the street, a bike, a paper route and most of all a sense of community. This is what I wanted for my family. As the years went on I worked at this. My brothers would say that it was a cop out. That I believed in these things because it was an excuse for my financial failure. Maybe it was. I didn't know how to make a decent living and have a family, without having someone that was not a family member raise the children.
I have been at it for over 25 years now. Life has been lived simply. And I am not having fun anymore!!! That is not exactly true. I do have fun and enjoy much of my life. But how do I enjoy it more with less? It is BS. I know that money can't buy happiness, but how do you buy freedom. Whether it is being busy with my business or working for someone else there is always an obligation to be fulfilled.
Maybe the key is to slowly go into the simple life. It is strange that when you are in a certain kind of space related "things" show up everywhere. For example when you are interested in a new car all of the sudden they are everywhere. Or you hear of a "new" food and then it is on every menu all the magazines and TV shows. The truth is these things are always there and when we focus on ourselves we see that we are not alone. That others are like us. This sometimes gives us a sense of security other times it is proof of the brainwashing of all of us by big brother and you know that all of the conspiracy theories out there are probably true. Ok ok I know where am I going?
Last week Liz had a friend staying with us. I am struggling with the "How do I make this life work" thing. Simple, but how. I go to bed and in the bathroom is an old book on the window sill. Living the Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing. Oh yeah I thought that was the answer 15 years ago. Back to the land. Live off of what you produce. I love this thought and have always wanted to do it. But aren't there bears in the outdoors, would I need to use a gun? Could I really cut myself of from it all. Some would say that I have cut myself off from the rest of the world. I think that I do live off what I produce. Wholly cow without even knowing I am on my way to living the Good Life.
I am running out of time so I am just sort of closing this. But I will offer a quick and simple recipe for life. The Half and Half. Fill a large glass (16oz)with ice pour 3/4 full with lemonade and ice tea till full. Add a wedge of lemon,a sprig of mint and sit back and enjoy the good life.
Phil
