I think from some of what I ramble about, some folks get to thinking I'm one of those austerity freak, minimalists... Don't get me wrong... Toys and stuff are not a bad thing. It's only when you stretch acquiring them into the world of Property Gluttony that it becomes the mule crushing pack on your back.
Some rail about the evils of booze... but just about any sawbones will tell you... sitting quiet of an evening, watching the shadows grow, sippin' on a cool brew, a glass of wine, or a shot of fine whiskey is GOOD for you. Suckin' down half a keg four nights a week... is... ummm... BAD! ;)
Toys are the same. Only better. ;) an ATV or a Motorcycle, or a Jet Ski... or a Mountain Bike... for each of you is good... Seven different colors from four different brands... is juuuuuuust maybe a bit over the top.
That old saying about "All work and no play makes jack..." such sayings come from reality kids. "all things in Moderation" right?
Look. I say it again, simplicity, minimalism, anything along that line of philosophy should not mean living naked in the woods, eating on only what you were lucky enough to have fall off a tree... besides... you don't want to be out on a hike and blunder across ME... living naked in the woods... :)
You'll get no argument from me that you do need to pay attention to the responsibilities that go along with your Liberty... How-some-ever, you'd better also pay a lil' bit of attention to, and feed that Kid inside you... or life pretty quick takes on the patina of the inside of a rubbish can.
There's far more to life than being responsible. You have to be equally responsible to the needs of that Kid as well.
If you haven't seen that Kid around for a while... My advice is make finding that lil' bugger job one 'till the prankster shows up.
What is the use of seizing the day if all you're gonna do with it... all the time... is sit in the shade and scratch yourself? Resting on a washed up log, watching the surf roll in IS good... and that sort of thing IS an important part of living... just, letting the commotion of the day settle and find its place in your head...
But... at some point you gotta jump up, stomp your feet and play with your toys! Laugh like an idiot and embarrass your kids... or your old Folks! :)
It's all in finding the balance...
I'm one who can fall off into the woulda coulda shoulda's too easy. It's an easy thing to look back and get caught in the regret of worryin' 'bout the mistakes and the dead ends you followed. I'm here to tell you... But you Can't let yourself get lost in that dark jungle. You HAVE to crawl out onto the sunny slopes and make another run... 'till they're playin' taps. It's a deliberate choice you make. Whichever direction you go. You chose it.
There is no easy Trail... If you're trail is without effort, I'm bettin' you're missing a lot. You have to lean into the wind. Take the Bull by the horns and rope your dreams... or any other cliche' you prefer to call it.
Do it, force it, make it happen... no matter what sort of manipulatin' mongrel is trying to steal bits and pieces of your life away and tellin' you that you were wrong to try.
That is my perception of what life is all about... effort, experience, learning.. and finding a way to enjoy the ride and laugh each day.
Just don't sit in the bus station, playing with your fingers and giggling... that is just not gonna turn out well.
Chasing the Sunrise
Brian
A broken down Ol' Cowboy goin' RV Boondocking ...
...and Yondering, to the beat of a different Biker Cowboy Drummer
6 comments:
Oh jeez, that vision of sitting in the bus station playing with your fingers is just nasty!
You reminded me of this story about the healing qualities of laughter - like going out and having fun, it's therapeutic.
http://www.lvrj.com/health/laughter-yoga-cackling-your-way-to-better-health-142270215.html
OK, I totally agree with this outlook. Its got all the aspects of what puts the JOY in living. Moderation and recalling the kid inside. Can't beat that with a stick!
Conscious spending...not the accumulation of Stuff.
Good to see you are back from the political pulpit :))
And that you survived that diversion without popping a vein :))
Welcome Home CowBoy, you did your part.
Mark summed it up! :)
This is what a kindred spirit, Fred Reed, had to say:
"Still, I wonder whether we haven’t built a world that we don’t want quite as much as we thought we were going to. Maybe we weren’t intended to live on top of each other. As evidence of this proposition I note how many people in the unvarying suburbs would like to be somewhere else. But the economy needs the administrative equivalent of assembly-line workers. The retirement system ties people to the job as tightly as serfdom tied them to the land. And we have been well trained that the purpose of life is the consumption of things produced in factories."
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