Dreaming…
I’ve been remembering the books I used to read as a child… namely “The Little House on the Prairie” books, and Enid Blyton’s stories (for example “The Secret Island”) where people would live off the land, reuse pretty much everything, and generally provide for themselves and the people around them by utilising what was available to them… In our culture it would appear that things are not made to last as they were in previous generations, and everything can easily be replaced. I’ve always been fascinated with the 1940’s and 1950’s, particularly the idea that nothing would be wasted… the idea that you would use something until it wore out, you would repair it, and continue using it… the idea of hand-me-downs… and so on. Recycling has only been a recent invention – created for a culture that doesn’t necessarily realise the impact of a wasteful nature. In the last month or so I have realised how strongly I feel about this matter, and how much I dislike how materialistic I have the potential to be. I love Monsoon and Laura Ashley… I love New Look… I love beautiful things and like to appreciate them, but at the same time, fashions pass, and as much as I’ve never really been one to follow fashion too closely - generally preferring the more classical, long-standing trends these days, I’m all too aware that we as a generation can become dependent on the next new thing. That idea grates on me. I’d much rather have something that lasts and has a personal value, than have something that costs (maybe more than it’s worth), or doesn’t last, that can easily be replaced and as a result has no real value.
From where I’m sat I can see the red pepper plants that are currently growing in pots on the windowsill. I’ve always loved growing things; even as a child I grew tomatoes in the back garden, making sure I watered them every day before I went to school and as soon as I returned. What fascinates me with planting and general gardening is that you follow simple instructions and go through a period of dormancy, and after a while you see the signs of what has been growing under the surface since the seed was placed in conditions that would allow it to grow, providing it with all it needs to flourish. There’s an element of caring and nurturing to the growing process which always speaks to me… the seed is placed in soil that contains nutrients and water to facilitate it’s growth, is cared for by the person who planted it whilst it is still fragile, and transplanted when it’s roots need room… maybe at some point the plant is placed outside to fend for itself against the elements, eventually becoming strong and bearing fruit. The person who plants it generally understands the needs of the plant, when it needs watering and further nourishment, when it needs to be moved; all the necessary details that the plant can’t do for itself unless it’s planted directly outside - even then, it still needs some sort of care in order to make sure it survives (there’s something about stewardship in there…). Every type of seed is different and each require different conditions to help them grow.
There is an organic simplicity about growing things that I absolutely adore. You plant, you wait, you harvest. I’m not a fan of interfering with the process… there’s a beauty in watching something grow, and I would much prefer to observe than get too involved and hinder the progress.
One of my childhood dreams had almost been forgotten about until recently when I read “Redeeming Love” by Francine Rivers. The book tells the story of Hosea in the Bible, written as though it was taking place during the Gold Rush in California – one of the characters, Michael, has a simple cabin, cultivates food in his garden, and also harvests other foodstuffs that can be found naturally in the area. Michael, along with his family and neighbours, all work together on the land, using all, not just some, but all that is available to them - grow their own food to eat and also to sell on, make their own clothes and other useful things for their cabins, and find ways to enjoy themselves (including music and singing, rope swings, making decorations for their cabins, making gifts for each other, and enjoying the land they live on). The life they had wasn’t necessarily easy, and often required hard work and toil, however the benefits and rewards were always worth the effort. I often feel that the satisfaction and sense of value that comes from earning or working toward something is lost today because most things are so readily available for us to use and misuse. When the value of an object is misplaced, care concerning that object tends not to exist, and it would seem that from a lack of value and care, stems a lack of satisfaction which prompts us to strive for the next “thing” and miss out on the value of whom and what surrounds us.
I’m the sort that appears to be almost unsettlingly fascinated with meaning and trying to understand what creates it… what often comes alongside this is a desire for simplicity. The idea of going somewhere and taking very little with me; to live minimally, growing food, keeping poultry and/or livestock maybe, using what’s available to me to create income and interest, is one of the longest standing dreams I’ve had – having all that I need in the vicinity; people, a means of sustaining myself and my family, creatively finding ways to live by non-commercial means. Going on from that is the idea of living in a community which doesn’t “need” the incessant, commercially driven, promotion of desire for things; a community that provides for each other by using what’s available to them; a community that values people and relationship over “things” that aren’t built to last and that don’t hold any significance or value because they’re so easily and readily obtainable and replaceable. It says somewhere in the Bible that God gives us the ability to produce wealth… personally, my definition of wealth doesn’t just fall to financial gain, it looks also to the condition of the heart… the poorest person by financial means can often be the richest, and the richest by financial means can also be the poorest… yes, I do believe that we do have a creative capability to sustain ourselves by making or finding a product, sourcing it to others and bringing about a trade for services and/or money in return for our own service and/or product. However, I also believe that there are simple ways to find enjoyment and fulfilment in our lives… saying that, I do enjoy films, music, watching people play computer games, etc – I don’t think they should be banned or anything ridiculous like that, but I feel that maybe less emphasis could be placed on them. Personally, I find I enjoy these things most when I can enjoy them with others… I can appreciate them when I’m not around people, but it’s generally the connection to friends and family that I’ve previously shared these things with - the memories that surround them, that are much more valuable to me than the images or sounds on their own. The memories of childhood that tend to come up most, are the simpler things; playing Monopoly with my Mum, Dad and little sister, rolling down a hill with my best friend and little sister when we were on our way to see “Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat”, riding my bike in the close outside the house with my friends, trying to make perfume out of daisy petals with my little sister. Memories that have involved those closest to me haven’t cost the earth and are much more precious and abundant than big presents and extravagances, which are appreciated but don’t have quite the same type of significance as those memories which were created by the less “showy” things.
I remember knowing someone when I was really young, whose parents bought them everything, she was spoilt, and didn’t hold the same appreciation for the simple things… she was always trying to show off what Daddy had just bought her. A sadness came over me when I remembered her, because looking back, from my perception it would seem that Daddy only showed his love for her in gifts, was away a lot, and didn’t show any sort of affection which I have been so blessed by. My parents, even if they haven’t had a lot, have always been generous with their love and affection, and that means more to me than any of the things I wished I could have had looking through the Argos catalogue at Christmas as a youngster :-P Back to the point, I think that there is a wealth that comes from doing things with others – family and good friends, those that mean something to us - going for walks, playing games which mean you interact with your family rather than a TV screen, making things with each other, and so on.
It’s been quite obvious to me of late that I function better if I have people around me, and I think that is very evident in what I place value in… reading over that last paragraph, as much as I may appear to be on my soapbox, the main point is that we don’t seem to invest in each other relationally so much as maybe previous generations would have. I think my point so far has generally been that my dream is to find simplicity, walking away from laziness in order to achieve this simplicity. It’s something that needs to be worked for, but in that work we may find significance, satisfaction and value. Going back to my dream, it seems to tie in to what Proverbs 31 says about a woman and her family. I can only assume that this woman was a person of some significance to King Lemuel and his mother, but her impact is quite astounding… she works hard, provides clothing and food for her family, is industrious and makes a wage for herself by selling what she makes to others, supporting her husband as he supports her, allowing him to fulfil his destiny whilst walking though hers – a partnership which has a tremendous amount of trust, and one which doesn’t promote one over the other; there’s an equality that can be found in that couple’s individual roles within their marriage. I’ve loved this passage since I was introduced to it, and in some ways it makes a lot of sense, due to the picture that is painted of this woman and the ideals that I’ve stated so far in this blurb, which seems to be coming close to actually being an essay… (welcome to the world inside my brain… there’s always something epic going on :-P)
When I was at University, the concepts that got me most excited were those based on Minimalism and meaning… which I doubt I’ll ever get away from, they appear to be inherent and a large part of who I am :-) The idea that the simplest things could have much more meaning than a cacophony of sounds, images and things, was the most engaging concept I came across. That ideal started making its way into how I worked, and the concepts I started working on, culminating in my final project (The Destruction of Meaning in Five Exercises) – an idea that based itself on specific, different ideas, which stripped a set phrase of all its original meaning and changed it into something completely incomparable to its first intended form. The thought that sparked it all off, was that of getting rid of all the unnecessary drivel, and getting to the root – the point from which all things stem and grow, the part which feeds the rest of the whole, the bit that often gets forgotten about.
We’re surrounded by so much in our lives, stuff that gets in the way… what I would love, and the dream that’s been hidden away since childhood for me, would be to get to the root… to get rid of all that waters down and weakens the strongest and most beautiful thing for me – value of people, and our environment. The one rule we had at college was to “respect others and your environment” – it’s incredibly simple, but so powerful. If we truly valued and respected others and our environment as we have the capability to, I reckon this world would be a very different place. If we treated people justly and with mercy, like I mentioned the other day… putting others before ourselves… appreciating the simple things in life… learning to live in peace and harmony… I think that would be my definition of heaven.
Maybe I’m just a bit of a hippy – idealising peace, love, and looking after the environment… and maybe I’m just a bit of a bohemian – idealising freedom, beauty, truth, and love… and maybe I am a Minimalist – idealising the simple things, not wanting a whole load of fuss and frill… I’m not sure that I’d want a label, especially as those labels specifically have some slightly off connotations that come with them, but those ideals are the ones that resonate strongly with me.
Food for thought probably.
