Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Saying No and Getting More

Consumption - this was once considered a scary word. Consumption mean you were ill and likely to die. Fast forward a few decades and people are now regularly called "consumers" and we're encouraged to engage in consumption, a practice and a word that is still scary and leads to sickness. Sickness for the planet and for the people who chase the illusive happiness that consumerism promises but never delivers. This article is a good reminder of all that we miss out on when we're engaged in the consumer world. When we say no and opt out of the world of consumption, we're saying yes to so much more.

1 comment:

David said...

Cherie, somehow our culture has evolved into one that believes that the economy is the biggest priority. Every year the big box stores must make more profit than the last year. We as a country have been wooed into believing that the latest phone will make us happy even if it means that a big chunk of money is taken out of our income to provide the service to make it smart. My grandson, who is 10, fails to see the reason for working so hard in a garden when he can just go to Walmart and buy it. When I brought a tomato in the house from my back yard garden, he sniffed it and said, "wow, this really smells good." I asked if he wanted to eat some of the tomato and he replied, "oh, no, I don't like tomatoes". Still he recognized it was different than a store tomato. Maybe someday I'll get the message across why grandpa goes to all that work to grow tomatoes.


Simplification doesn't have to mean off the grid living. I still like flush toilets and hot showers but I don't see the need to upgrade appliances until the one I have quits working. As a result, things in my house don't have the glamour of the latest in kitchen or bathroom appeal but they are quite functional. Your restoration of the farm house is amazing. You have become an example of how to live simply in modern times.


Have a great simple living day.