All the driftwood in the world
even if we could gather it and bring it home to burn
wouldn't be sufficient to keep us warm or to power our machines.
We are voracious
needing a lot of things
clothes and blankets
and shoes for all occasions
products for hair, skin, upper body
lower body
medications
vitamins
supplements
implements to cook
implements to clean
stuff to help us collect and store other stuff.
We eat constantly
purchase constantly
need this and that
enough to forget by the time we hit the store.
We make so little ourselves
toast sometimes
and on vacation
and if children insist
and we have company
we burn meat the way our parents did
though we didn't kill
or raise those chops
anywhere on our shores.
We are television clickers
radio knobbers
thumb sketchers
list makers
complainers
hungry for the latest
the newest.
We need so much to live
we notice
only
when the price of gas goes up
and then
we blame the Arabs
or anyone who didn't bother
to become like us.
but we have the ability to change...at least to be aware..... i try to stay away from the, "we're all doomed, what's the sense in trying," i love the new age phrase, mindfulness...we need to develop more of that!
ReplyDeleteI often marvel at how much we don't have to do to survive like our ancentors did..yet we seem so busy and tired all the time. I do feel that many people are trying to get back to basics. Maybe the gas prices will keep us closer to home and learning to appreciate where we live and try to make our own little corners of the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteI'm cooking more than I used to; and going out much less...spurred by the cost of gas.
ReplyDeleteI'm learning to stay home, enjoy the sunshine, flowers, birds, things I've grown and just breathe. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteEven in my own lifetime I see myself becoming a user of much more than in the past. As a child we had one car, one bathroom, one TV which the whole family gathered around, three sets of clothes, two for everyday and one for Sundays.
ReplyDeleteNow we have three cars, too many TVs, three bathrooms and three closets full of clothes...shameful excess? Different for sure. Simple is best. I need to re-learn and my children and grandchildren probably for sure.
We are definitely a culture of consumption. As always, I appreciate your gentle reminder that life is much more.
ReplyDeleteVelva
you know it was not too long ago that we had an oil spill and everyone was ranting on our gas dependence but then it was forgotten, perhaps now we will listen...
ReplyDeleteSo insightful and true, I often wonder what kind of frontier-girl I would be to have to bake my own bread and farm my own vegetables :)
ReplyDeleteNice post. We do best to produce our own energy and not ask others, like Brazil, to do it for us.
ReplyDeleteone thing about being an artist is that we never had the kind of income that allowed much excess.
ReplyDeleteWell, I actually thought of you today when I was at the open market buying my veggies from the farmers one valley over.
ReplyDeleteWe're working on simpler. Most Thursdays a box of fruits and vegetables is delivered to our porch by a nearby farm - community supported agriculture. I've rediscovered the library and my walking shoes. We can start small and grow from there.
ReplyDeleteI think that many people are aware of the problems and are really trying to make a difference and not consume so much.
ReplyDeleteWe sure are human!
ReplyDeleteI signed up for the A-Z Challenge and saw your blog listed so I just stopped by to say hello. I look forward to reading your alphabet posts.
Hmmmm. While I may have been like your poem in years past, in retirement I seem to think and feel differently.
ReplyDeleteWe are in the process of "editing" our lives, prior to our move. Many things which may have been important in the past are no longer so. I guess my goal is to learn to live simply and laugh a bit more.
Ah yes, the truth about us...especially when compared to the Arabs. Powerful thoughts, Rosaria...We're selling our second car and will learn to live with one.
ReplyDeleteYes we are energy junkies. Perhaps a diet wouldn't hurt any of us.
ReplyDeleteA British blogger buddy told me their gas is $8.02 a gallon. At that price, one learns quickly how to do with less.
beautiful post
ReplyDeletehave a good time
The other day I received a royalty check in the mail, and I had this moment of "I wish it were more . . . " and immediatly I remembered this night I lay in bed thinking: This is what would give me peace, and I named some things (being rich or making lots of money wasn't one of them).
ReplyDeleteI told myself that night that anything over and above those things was just "stuff" -extra - icing on an already sweet cake.
And those things that I wanted to give me some peace happened in one fashion or another.
ANd did I feel gratitude? Not when I received that check - I wanted more . . . so I decided I won't want more - that's not how I want to be.
Thanks for this post to remind me of how sometimes we become so fixated on STUFF and MORE.
Good one!
ReplyDeleteI moved to Italy to learn a different way of life. I'm learning. I need to.
ReplyDeleteWE are the ultimate consumers that is for certain.
ReplyDeleteI like this post a lot. It sums us up beautifully. I wish we could change things. I wish. I wish! For now, all I can do is try. But, then I find myself tying up yet another bag of trash. A personal trainer for simple living would be nice.
ReplyDeleteWonderfully said Rosaria. Now, we all need to DO something about it!
ReplyDeleteYes, we need a blueprint for simple living.
ReplyDeleteSomeone, anyone?
It would make a great blog!
Thanks for the visit and for your wonderful contribution to the discussion.
Rosaria
Just into the point, thank you for this remind...
ReplyDelete