On Living a Simple Life…
I have always longed for simplicity. I am happiest when outside surrounded by plants and animals, plodding along at my own speed. There are no appointments, no deadlines, there is no rush – problems are solved by ingenuity, not income.
I am, in truth, a very simple person. So much of the world is excess to my eyes. I feel like I should accept this and become excessive, but I truly have no interest. I think a lot, talk seldom, stare out windows, shy away from chemicals, discard or recycle unused materials, feel like money is a means to an end, and would rather be in a garden than in a building at any point in time.
I work outside of my house for income. It’s OK, but it drags at me. I like the job I have, but I don’t feel like I want to have this job for the rest of my life. In fact, I often consider and calculate how much longer “having a real job” will be necessary in my life. Truthfully, I feel like I would rather not “go to work” every day. I’d be perfectly happy working at home, creating a harmonious yet ever-changing existence for myself and family instead of mechanically performing productivity for “the man”.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand why jobs are necessary in a society. I understand that this is what we have come to and this is all that most people know. It’s “our way of life”. Being in debt is normal, being dependent is normal, it’s normal to be content with a lifestyle where one’s only urgent problem is “keeping up with the Jones-es”.
What I am saying is that I am not content with this type of life. It does not suit me well, it is uncomfortable and I am often restless, yearning to be doing something real with my days. I want to see and directly benefit from my own productivity, I want to be my own boss. This current job is a stop-over in my life’s journey, a temporary assignment that is helping me to achieve my true long-term goals.
My goal for the next few years is to be an actual farmer. I have made myself a promise that by the time my youngest child starts kindergarten (5 years old), I will own enough land to be as close to self-sustained as possible. I’ve got approximately three years left in which to accomplish my goal. I am actually a lot closer than I’d expect to be, but there are still some hurdles between myself and this goal.
Actually, the only hurdle is money. I don’t have enough money on hand to outright purchase a fitting parcel of land, so I cannot yet be a farmer. As I do not have any fabulously wealthy relatives to throw money at me and I do not wish to be in insurmountable debt. So, I will wait until I am able to afford land before I purchase it. If I did not have dependents, I’d be a mountaineer and you’d never hear from me again… But, this is not realistic for one with a family to provide for. I do currently pay for the house I live in and could sell it for collateral, but its value is substantially lower than a farm’s. Thus, I consider my current home an asset, but realize that I need more cash before I will be able to invest in my farm.
Anyway, in the meantime, I am learning about farm life. More to the point, I am learning about homesteading. When I speak of self-sufficiency, I speak of that lifestyle our ancestors took for granted – living off the land and its bounty. I know a fair amount about farming in general, because I spent the first 8 years of my life on and around small farms. The next ten years contained some gardening and large & small domestic animal care but nothing that would be considered self sufficient. There are approximately eight additional ‘lost years’ where I was not actively working toward self-sufficiency because I was more concerned with “being a responsible adult” and all that entails.
It has only been in the past three years that I have realized that “what I want to be when I grow up” is what I was as a child – a caretaker of a small farm, doing what needs to be done but enjoying it.
I have no interest in being a big business farmer – corporations repulse me. I just want to have space that I can consider “home” and be able to provide for my family from home.
Granted, I’m never going to be “just a farmer”, because I have varied interests and talents that generate revenue and which I do enjoy. The basis of my income, though, will be directly related to the production level of my farm. And, really, that is what I crave the most – to be able to sustain a comfortable (and by this I mean all basic needs are met without undue struggle) lifestyle with limited dependence on external sources.
I realize I will need money to pay the government for using the land they own, but I truly believe that this will not be an issue because this will be the only significant money that will need to be paid out.
It’s strange for me to feel optimistic, it really is. But, I do feel like this is the way I am supposed to go. I was not made to be restricted and closely governed every day of my life. It doesn’t feel RIGHT. I was born Free and I want to live Free.
And so, I’m going to find a way to be Free.