Image by Myriam Zilles from Pixabay
As we get older and grow accustomed to the finer things, richer meals, bigger homes, savings, etc. etc. etc., we can forget how strong and clever we used to be before we had access resources we have now.
What would we do if, like my grandparents, we had to seriously ration things, or really go without, or work in factories for the war effort? What would we do if we suddenly were brought low, having few if any of our now normalized comforts?
I’d hazard a guess and say that we’d (me too) lose our shit for a little while as we recalibrated. We’d whine about how things used to be and mourn the past. We’d continue to live as if the things we grew used to are actually things we NEED.
When we have sight of what we really need, of what really matters, we see how many of the things we’ve come to define as needs are actually desires. They’re nice to have, but we wouldn’t die without them. Things might be… less comfortable, but when we live life focusing on what actually matters, we can thrive with very little.
Futon, ramen, eggs, and a few changes of clothes. Ah, yes… I remember when I first moved out of my parents' home, I was so happy to be on my own that I didn’t care that my surroundings were utterly Spartan. I knew what I actually needed to live.
Hurricane Katrina helped to hit my “reset” button when all my ancestral goods, images, lands, and relics were washed away. What did I actually need? Very little, since here I am today.
Homelessness after college graduation helped, once again, reframe my outlook on life to show me the difference between what I truly needed and what I surrounded myself with to create an identity.
Once we redefine our relationship with want and need, we can travel down liberation’s road with a bit more clarity.
(See y’all tomorrow)
What would we do if, like my grandparents, we had to seriously ration things, or really go without, or work in factories for the war effort? What would we do if we suddenly were brought low, having few if any of our now normalized comforts?
I’d hazard a guess and say that we’d (me too) lose our shit for a little while as we recalibrated. We’d whine about how things used to be and mourn the past. We’d continue to live as if the things we grew used to are actually things we NEED.
When we have sight of what we really need, of what really matters, we see how many of the things we’ve come to define as needs are actually desires. They’re nice to have, but we wouldn’t die without them. Things might be… less comfortable, but when we live life focusing on what actually matters, we can thrive with very little.
Futon, ramen, eggs, and a few changes of clothes. Ah, yes… I remember when I first moved out of my parents' home, I was so happy to be on my own that I didn’t care that my surroundings were utterly Spartan. I knew what I actually needed to live.
Hurricane Katrina helped to hit my “reset” button when all my ancestral goods, images, lands, and relics were washed away. What did I actually need? Very little, since here I am today.
Homelessness after college graduation helped, once again, reframe my outlook on life to show me the difference between what I truly needed and what I surrounded myself with to create an identity.
Once we redefine our relationship with want and need, we can travel down liberation’s road with a bit more clarity.
(See y’all tomorrow)
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