SIMPLY PUT...

"To find the universal elements enough;
to find the air and the water exhilarating;
to be refreshed by a morning walk
or an evening saunter...
to be thrilled by the stars at night;
to be elated over a bird's nest
or a wildflower in spring ~
these are some of the rewards of the simple life."
John Burroughs

 

This week I watched a short clip of Matt Damon addressing the matter of sanitary 'water'...specifically of the exceptional shortage in Africa. The clip was from an interview conducted by Katie Couric. Damon is just one of those helping in a big way to make water available where there are such dire shortages...there are many others.

Having lived in places where sanitary water...sometimes just any water...was a major problem made me aware of how I use it...but guess what? I'm still wasteful/careless about it...like there's an endless supply. 

California is just one of the areas in the U.S. presently struggling through a long drought.  Stark reality...water truly is a precious commodity and needs careful usage by me...and perhaps you, too!

Michael spent one long, hot, dry year in Ethiopia...I was there only a short time; dependents were not allowed to actually live there. The first week, on his own, M didn't follow directions and foolishly drank some of the water w/drastic consequences. He actually thought he was having a heart attack...was hospitalized and ill for some time. Lesson learned. Be careful.
There also was a drought...                            

you know what that means, right? 

We pray for rain here...we need it

but it doesn't compare with

drought in places like Africa.

There's plenty of water in China but people don't drink it (polluted to the nth degree)...we bought  bottled water. They still boil water and buy bottled  water...everyone has a water machine in their home. Better safe than sick and sorry! 

When M and I were young marrieds we lived in Healdton, Oklahoma ~ had a tiny house a few miles out of town in a small subdivision. 

The community had its own water system...but it was a lulu...sulfur water! Ever had to live with sulfur water? It can be horrendous! Skunks and sulfur have something in common.  Even our washer turned out stinky laundry. Aargh. Needless to say, we bought lots of bottled water.

Good clean, clear water is awesome...I love it...call me a 'waterholic'. My mother didn't like to drink water...said it tasted like medicine. Well, must admit that it did...when we lived in Odessa!  

                                              I tend to take most of our blessings for granted...that is as long as I never see, hear or think about anyone, anywhere else!

How selfish is that? Could it be that I am too frivolous, extravagant...or terrible thought...wasteful? Am I living simply enough?

I first thought, "Of course I am"...but realistically I know I'm not. Old habits die hard...for instance?

I've always done my grocery shopping weekly...same as my mother. In Greece, Germany and China our foreign friends did it daily...as needed. I would like to do it that way but...okay, so I'm lazy and stay in. I am also wasteful...probably because of the 'weekly bit'...along w/no prior planning.  Not wise to be wasteful and I'm trying to improve in that area along with other areas in my life that...well...are not up to where they should be.

How about a new car...don't think so.  Our ten year old Toyota looks and runs like a new one...why would we want a new one when this one is outstanding? We have all the extras we can handle...our GPS (we call ours Jack) provides excitement enough...yikes.  (Okay, we would trade if it became absolutely necessary...sometimes one has no options.)

Might be sweet for me to have a small office...somewhere besides in with the washer, dryer and other paraphernalia.  Ooh...nice but don't think we want to complicate things.  Besides, we really like our little house...as long as we don't stuff it...then we get momentarily frustrated. The point is, we are happy here.

Peggy Lee sang the song "Is That All There Is?"  Peggy, for Michael and me...yes, that's all and it's more than enough.  Less is making us happier and life is simplified. I look M in the eye, smile and tell him I am totally content and trust me, it's true...so true! 

I read...I look...I listen...about what's taking place around me as well as around the world. Watching and thinking about others and the differences in our living conditions can be and is heartbreaking. It isn't those who have more that bother me...it's those who have so very little...oh my...never enough.

Water...walking miles each day to get just a little bit…such a little. 

House...what house? Sometimes a tarp/cover...not much else.    
Health care...what's that? It's sometimes non-existent. 
Food...whatever can be scraped up...thankful even for the dumps. Clothes...rags. 

 

 So?

Life goes...on and on…simple for some, not so simple for others.

Some would give almost anything to
find the air and water exhilarating;
to take a morning walk…
to see the stars at night;
to look at a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring;
to have a life.Simply put, I have everything...how 'bout you?

From my heart...to yours,
Vasca