the simple life and the 18th Century
Lately I have really been seeking a simple life. The simple life has been a big thing with me over the last year or two, perforating much of my life. Today in sociology class I was flipping through a National Geographic I saw a picture of an African village: some herding pens, dusty crops, some chicken coops, and a few huts scattered about. I actually would like to live there.
Most people don't know it, but one of my favorite vacations was a trip through the Smokey Mountains, looking at old 1700 buildings up in the woods. I would love that so much! Working the land for a living, working around the house, going to sleep at night in the middle of nowhere. I specifically remember this house beside a stream, and I imagined waking up, going outside, and sitting by the stream and reading. There was an overgrown field in front of the house facing a majestic mountain. What a view! Living there would be so much more enjoyable in this hurried and busy and driving world we live in: waking, working, eating, working, relaxing, sleeping, day after day, working to live and not worrying about all this crap we have to worry about (school, deadlines, business plans, nonsense, nonsense, nonsense...). Also on the trip we visited an old 18th Century church (that's the 1700s, folks); I just imagined traveling to church through the woods, under the sun, and worshipping God in that small shack of a building, hearing messages, and just enjoying life with others.
Lately I have really been seeking a simple life. The simple life has been a big thing with me over the last year or two, perforating much of my life. Today in sociology class I was flipping through a National Geographic I saw a picture of an African village: some herding pens, dusty crops, some chicken coops, and a few huts scattered about. I actually would like to live there.
Most people don't know it, but one of my favorite vacations was a trip through the Smokey Mountains, looking at old 1700 buildings up in the woods. I would love that so much! Working the land for a living, working around the house, going to sleep at night in the middle of nowhere. I specifically remember this house beside a stream, and I imagined waking up, going outside, and sitting by the stream and reading. There was an overgrown field in front of the house facing a majestic mountain. What a view! Living there would be so much more enjoyable in this hurried and busy and driving world we live in: waking, working, eating, working, relaxing, sleeping, day after day, working to live and not worrying about all this crap we have to worry about (school, deadlines, business plans, nonsense, nonsense, nonsense...). Also on the trip we visited an old 18th Century church (that's the 1700s, folks); I just imagined traveling to church through the woods, under the sun, and worshipping God in that small shack of a building, hearing messages, and just enjoying life with others.
I know I sound like a fool, maybe, but it's true. I think I was made for the 18th Century. Life would be so much better there. The simple life is what I want. I think the simple societies around the world are closer to God than we are: intense family values, work for your food, worship God, the Maker and Creator. I just wish I were there, not here, in a world driven by success, success, success!; a world driven by money, money, money!; a world driven by hurry, hurry, hurry!; a culture of 9-5 and eat yourself mad trying to succeed. Gosh.
5 comments:
I'll have to check Alaska out... when I get out of college, the choice of where to live and where to work is mine :-).
I should check out Alaska when I get outta college...
Remember that show about those people who lived in those wood cottages and lived off the land for a month? Maybe it fared so well because the simple life is what people are longing for!
I'm living a simpler life handwashing my dishes because our dishwasher is broken and so are we :) I would love to live a simpler life It seems like we work and push ourselves most of our life so we can "retire to a simpler life" Is it worth it? I don't always think so but I do love the computer :)
I dream of a simple life in the wild nearly every day. I would go back to the Native American life on the plains in the times before our great nation saw its politics. I admire their respect for nature and seeing God in every aspect of life.
I would suggest that you read, Joshua - a parable for today by Joseph Girzone. I think it exemplifies the true spirit of Jesus and living simply. I think you'd really enjoy it.
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