Well, it looks like my "new" car that I told you all about a few posts back, is dead. And I mean dead as in the kind of never to be resuscitated kind of dead. What is it with me and cars?? The good news part is that it was coming off the road for our project anyways, so I have till Sept.1 to come up with a plan. Oh well, I'm pretty sure this is just God's way of making me stick to our project. My mom's car goes back to her on June 1st and then we are really and truly left to our own devices. We can do it! Right?? I was reminded today by my son that I am their leader. How sad is it that I need to be reminded that I am their leader.
I am their leader. I
am their leader. I am
their leader. I really need to do a better job of setting the example and the tone for this project. I have to admit, I was a bit whiny about it all yesterday. Sometimes I forget that I'm being watched by my kids (and apparently a bunch of other people too!) and that how I respond to things is more important than the actual things. It is frustrating though when people make comments to me like, "Well, I hope it all works out for you." What the heck does that mean? Why wouldn't it work out? What's going to happen to us? Are we going to starve to death? Die out at the farm from a lack of electricity? Keel over from a heart attack while I'm riding my bike to church every Sunday? (What if I do keel over from a heart attack while I'm riding my bike?)
Seriously people, if your comments/thoughts/suggestions aren't encouraging and uplifting, please don't share them with me. I'm not all in to the constructive criticism thing - I really only want to hear the good stuff. Stop telling me how hard it's going to be, or how many things I'm going to be missing out on, or how we're not going to be going anywhere because it's too hard to do without a car. We can do it! We will triumph in this project even if the only thing that happens is spending more time together - I know that seems ironic when all we do is spend time together and we are never very happy about it - BUT, I am really hoping that with some focus and direction we will spend more time working together and maybe even having some fun.
The tide is slowly turning in my house and I want to capitalize on that. We need to get back to being a family unit and not just 3 people living in the same space.
I'm rambling. The point is, positive and encouraging comments people.
Now, I'm off to find some meat filled, dairy laden, sugar stuffed thing to eat...
4 comments:
Sounds like the universe is trying to give you a little bit of encouragement with the car thing!
I sure hope you didn't interpret my last comment as in any way negative, because I certainly didn't mean it that way. "Ambitious" does not mean it will be hard or bad in any way. I've found that the deeper I get into living a simpler life, the more I realize how unhappy leading a "standard" existence made me.
I didn't begin this journey 20 years ago because I thought it would be good for the planet, or because I was on some sort of self improvement program. I got here because trying to force myself to live in the craziness of the modern world was killing me.
In many ways I think we've all been sold a bill of goods... tricked into believing that the endless cycle of do more, spend more actually makes us happy. In truth it just makes us exhausted and empty, at least that's my perspective.
I can honestly say that even if somebody waved some sort of perverse magic wand, and re-created the universe so that I was a billionaire, and burning fossil fuels did no harm, and consuming vast quantities of high fructose corn syrup was good for you... I would not go back to living the way most Americans do. For me it's not about sacrifice, or doing what's right, or any of that stuff. It's about owning my life.
There is infinitely more fulfillment in the garden than the shopping mall.
Don't let the naysayers get you down. They're just expressing their own fears and anxieties by clinging to the status quo, and what you're doing threatens their house of cards.
I have no doubts that you can do it, and no doubts that you'll be much happier for having done it!
xoxoxo
Rebecca
Thank you Rebecca! (and no I didn't think your past comment was discouraging!) It's nice to hear from someone who is farther along the road than we are. Hope you're having a great day!
Hi Diane
I am very impressed by what you and your boys are doing. I would love to hear about your family's journey. I am not sure if my family could do it. If you would like me to come out one day I would love to see you again. Let me know. It would be very nice to meet your boys. I have a son, Brandon (7), and a daughter, Mariah (4).
Wow, what a big (and challenging) project! I'll be interested to hear how it goes! Especially since you have teenagers. People always say these types of projects are done by young singles, so it's easy for them. Prove them wrong, ad show them it's possible with a family!
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