A few Thoughts on Simple living
I sat in the wing back recliner and read a bit today. I chose an old favorite, Little House in the Big Woods. As many times as I have read that book, each time seems to hit me in some new way. The first time I read it I was just a young child and reading about blowing up the pig bladder as a balloon just shocked me. I think that one thing stuck out most in the book to me, but today, reading about how all the food was stored in the attic, lots of it and how the girls enjoyed playing amid all the hanging peppers, onions and using the pumpkins as tables and chairs made me think about life today and how we all have to have things so perfect in our homes. Cabinets for this and that, having everything so neatly tucked away, out of sight. How would I feel about having a corner full food stored for the winter where people could see it ? Hard to even imagine.Laura played with a corn cob wrapped in a piece of cloth as her doll and was alright with that. Sure she would have loved a cloth doll like Mary had but she was still ok with the corn cob doll, not even holding Mary's doll if the corn cob baby could see her holding the other doll. These are examples of a life of contentment, which really is what simple living is, being content with what you NEED and not dwelling on the things we want, no matter if we can afford them or not. I think with so much poverty and hardship in the world, not sure anyone can afford to live a glamorous life while others go without the very basic needs in life.
A new study just came out, saying that if a woman mops a floor or vacuums, those chores are like a workout at a gym. As I was kneading bread today I thought about how my arms and hands were getting a really good workout. A bread machine would have robbed me of this workout !
Living basic, having basic things that are meeting our basic needs, is no doubt better for our health.
After reading this book today, I decided the generations that made this country great would no doubt be shocked at what I think is simple living.
pictures from home today
Comments
My favorite of the Little House books is Farmer Boy. I've never quite been able to imagine myself living for the long term in the rustic conditions that the Ingalls family survived, but I can imagine life on a farm in Upstate New York in the mid/late 1800s. It seems that life was hard-work, but meaningful.
I love that memory, also. How almost unbelievable, when we see the amount of toys amassed by 'average' children today.
And it isn't like all these children went out and demanded each and every toy. Well-meaning adults/family members pile them into houses. -sigh- And often, the poor parents are fighting a loseing battle, trying to "stem this tide" of 'goodies.' -repeat sigh-
Nancy/Grancy
It's a lazy Sat. Maybe I should pull one of those books off of the shelf ...
Great entry, again. Thought-provoking.