Simpler Living
O for the days when life was simple! We cooked a fresh meal every day, ate fresh fish every day until we were tired of that protein, and day-old, unused, extra fish was thrown back into the sea because there were no refrigerators. Youngsters’ eyes were bright, and their teeth were white. Crabs, lobsters, and other shellfish were given away and used as snacks. That was until the hotels came and made a mad rush for the sea scavengers. Then, all of a sudden, they became more expensive than fish! The air was pure and clean, even though many grandpas smoked tobacco; grannies used snuff on their gums; and pipes were plentiful. No one was homeless.
Living Worry-free
We had no idea how good and free from worrying our collective subconscious was. We genuinely smiled a lot more with each other and didn’t really know the severe mental stress that some people experience today. Yes, we did worry at times. But, we lived without carrying around a lot of baggage.
What are some of today’s baggage? Owing bills that balloon and become unmanageable, after a while; eating all kinds of manufactured foods with no health benefits, and getting sick, as a result; not getting enough exercise and growing less fit, because we drive or get driven to most places. Of course, those examples do not apply to everyone.
Our lives were well-structured. Formal school education was a must, weekdays, and religious education was taught on Saturdays and Sundays, depending on one’s religion. Then, children attended church, Sunday and Sabbath school. We looked people in the eye and knew our neighbors. Now, many of us don’t really know who live next door, although we may see them, often. Suddenly, we could learn a long-time trusted neighbor who visited us last night was just arrested because he or she owned a room full of contraband.
The Old Idyllic Days
I don’t long for the old days. They were idyllic; but at that time, I did not understand the full impact of colonialism, as the old physical trappings weren’t directly in my face. I was in blissful ignorance. I came and went unrestricted and was happy as a robin. Society did a whole lot of walking, then, in beautiful pristine fresh air. Natural energy was robust, and those who didn’t walk got a ride on a four-footed vehicle.
How about we all slow down, take time out, sit on one of those vehicles and get to where we’re going, in slow time? Aah! Can you imagine how stress-free that would be!
