January 2, 2017
Because
Independent
...because we have become a people who are overly dependent on technology, on food, on being entertained, on having things...
In 1804, when John James Audubon needed to get from Mill Grove, PA to New York, and didn't have the money for hired transport," he walked through the winter snows to the city--a distance of some 150 miles, which he covered in less than three days..."
150 miles. On foot!
Are there ways we can train ourselves to be more independent and not at the mercy of our circumstances? Even though we're grown ups, we can learn new things, start new habits, and teach our children to be problem solvers by being problem solvers ourselves.
Let's be brave. I just learned how to change the belt on my vacuum cleaner, and suddenly I am not dependent on Bob's Vacuum Service any longer!
Cheers, friends
Published: January 2, 2017 | Filed under: Because
That is a good point. It's really difficult, our at times super overly dependent ways. Lord have mercy on us! ~Elizabeth @ https://eroosje.blogspot.com/
I have been pondering on a similar theme. To be self-sufficient is an extremely "American" characteristic that can quickly diminish if we let it. It's a folk tradition that has to be passed down and taught from generation to generation. I'm trying to be aware of the knowledge I have that younger people do not have. ("what is Morse code?") Not only can we decide to be independent, but we can decide to teach younger folk what we know, whether it's sewing on a button or how to tell a good joke.
Yes! The spreading of knowledge, the sharing of ourselves with each other. That is the beauty of community, which is not antithetical to the idea of being an independent problem solver...
I'm kind of on the flip side of this. All my life I've tried to be as independent as possible, but now I'm letting other people do some things for me so that I can spend my time on things only I can do. I've hired a housecleaner, for instance, and we've decided my husband will no longer change the oil on our cars. We know how to do these things, but we'd rather be writing or making music.
There is a difference between knowing how to do something and choosing to get help doing it, and constantly choosing not to learn or do something out of fear, or laziness, or ignorance. I know that I go into default mode a lot, and I see this especially with women today. They default to the male to change the tire, or trim the tree... We obviously shouldn't all be learning to do all the trades, to be survivalists etc... but if you find yourself not doing something because something broke, or because another family took the car, then I think we should reconsider our own bodies and our own minds, and solve the problem and move forward--not just sit home and watch movies because we're inconvenienced...