I love this, the reminder that I think we all need and need to remind ourselves frequently. That there is so much joy in the present and that we are all carving our own way, and each journey will look unique (and probably not like it does on Instagram!)
Ha! I was just chatting about this lately. I remember thinking that my life wasn't pretty enough to photograph and share. I began to see my life through the Instagram lens. That was not helpful. My road to slow and simplicity has been the greatest journey of my life. It has taken me down many roads, meeting inspiring people along the way. I am grateful for all it, because it made me realize that my life is wonderful. Full, messy, cluttered but lovely.
Jackie, I love everything about this post, and giggled wryfully as I read the first part, as it sounded like exactly the sort of 'lifestyle smallholdingry' (I've made up that term) I used to read about in the back copies of 'Country Living' magazine that Mum's friends used to pass on to her when they'd read them! It bore no relation to the more realistic self-sufficient lifestyle I grew up with.
At school we were called the 'homespun family'. Dad would drive us to school in an ancient Landrover with no proper seats in the back, because it was used for transporting livestock; my brother and I would each hang on to a strap on the ceiling and try to ignore any sheep poo that would be putting our school shoes at risk of needing a wipe. All our clothes (although not school uniform!) were homemade; our food homegrown. We worked hard, absolutely, but more on the important getting-things-done stuff than anything cosmetic. It was so real - and it was wonderful!
I'm saving this post to read again - and I'm already looking forward to the next time I do so. Thank you. ☺️
I love this, the reminder that I think we all need and need to remind ourselves frequently. That there is so much joy in the present and that we are all carving our own way, and each journey will look unique (and probably not like it does on Instagram!)
Ha! I was just chatting about this lately. I remember thinking that my life wasn't pretty enough to photograph and share. I began to see my life through the Instagram lens. That was not helpful. My road to slow and simplicity has been the greatest journey of my life. It has taken me down many roads, meeting inspiring people along the way. I am grateful for all it, because it made me realize that my life is wonderful. Full, messy, cluttered but lovely.
" I remember thinking that my life wasn't pretty enough to photograph and share."
I did this to myself all the time, Blythe! I'd look beyond the cute hen or the garden harvest and see the nettles.
And if that doesn't betray a mindset issue, I don't know what does.
Learning to metaphorically blur the background, and see the subject!
And the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. ( In fact, it may not even be grass!)
Jackie, I love everything about this post, and giggled wryfully as I read the first part, as it sounded like exactly the sort of 'lifestyle smallholdingry' (I've made up that term) I used to read about in the back copies of 'Country Living' magazine that Mum's friends used to pass on to her when they'd read them! It bore no relation to the more realistic self-sufficient lifestyle I grew up with.
At school we were called the 'homespun family'. Dad would drive us to school in an ancient Landrover with no proper seats in the back, because it was used for transporting livestock; my brother and I would each hang on to a strap on the ceiling and try to ignore any sheep poo that would be putting our school shoes at risk of needing a wipe. All our clothes (although not school uniform!) were homemade; our food homegrown. We worked hard, absolutely, but more on the important getting-things-done stuff than anything cosmetic. It was so real - and it was wonderful!
I'm saving this post to read again - and I'm already looking forward to the next time I do so. Thank you. ☺️