Why I blog.
Something I think about on a regular basis is wondering what life would have been like had I lived 250 years ago; back when most of what one needed, an enterprising family might produce or create for themselves. If something wasn’t made at home, in most cases, you knew the specific person or family who made it, whether it was the clothing you wore, the chair you sat on, or the food you ate.
To add to this thought – we would be content in just the basics. Imagine the simplicity of this: Content with just two outfits of clothing. Content with just bread and cheese for dinner. Content with just one cup and plate per person. Content with just one book (likely the Bible) or just a few books. Our children would be content with these same arrangements for the most part. They would grow up expected to eat whatever was served. They would grow up working hard because they would be needed as a part of the family in keeping the household going. Even just writing this makes me long for this simplicity.
Not only this, but there are also other things I think about. What would life be like if we had just horses to get us where we needed to go? We would certainly not be running around as often as we do. We would be home much more. If we had no electricity, much of the busy part of our day would end when the sun went down. One family member might sit with a Bible, reading to the family each night. Families would be together in one room, conserving their supply of candles or other perishable lighting sources. A huge percentage of people would be teaching their children at home. If your child knew how to read and do basic math, they would be well educated.
Here we are though, and here I am in the 20th century. My dreams will never be a reality, and the closest I can get to this type of lifestyle is through reading. (One likely reason why I have such an affinity for historical fiction.)
However, I can make some changes. I can take steps to simplify what we eat, what things we add to our home, and what we do with our time.
Most of what you read on this blog will have something to do with getting back to some basics. At times, a post may be a stretch. However, you may discover that in getting back to some basics, you will find a piece of unexpected contentment.