Here's to Annie, another reader of this blog that has decided to make some tough decisions to be able to live the life she wants to live. And she was kind enough to share the news with the rest of us in a comment on one of my recent posts.
Like many other people, she feels that time with family is more precious than working in a less than desirable situation. "I quit my job" she said. "8 days to go. Let the adventure begin!" I could sense the excitement, having been in that situation myself.
Annie added, "I don't think there is enough money to compensate for missing so many milestones", and Linda and I agree wholeheartedly. 15 years ago we quit our full time jobs in pursuit of the simple life, and we have never looked back.
In our case, Linda had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in a devastating turn in our lives together. We knew that while the clock was ticking for both of us (as it does for us all), it may be ticking a bit faster for her. What we needed was more time to do the things we wanted to do, and now.
After 5 years of good but slowly declining health we made our move to get the time we needed to do the things we wanted. We quit.
Since we made that decision we have fulfilled many of our simple living goals, including traveling for a full year with nothing but the packs on our backs. While we did not work full time again, we both worked casual, contract, and part-time jobs that we were interested in trying out.
Linda worked for a non-profit that provided services for housing co-operatives, and also enjoyed working in a public library. I worked several jobs such as driving a limousine, providing river rafting trips for school groups, and landscape gardening.
With lots of time for just living, we learned to cook a vegetarian diet. We learned to play guitar and sing better. We increased our time in nature. We spent a lot of time visiting friends and family. We learned to live more with less.
We fully support anyone choosing to live more simply. To live more along the lines of what feels right to them rather than what society tells them to do. Here is to Annie and her family, and all of you out there that may yearn for similar simple things.
May you all have more living, and less bullshit.
More
Sleep.
Reading.
Nature.
Good food.
Truth.
Cooperation.
Health.
Gardening.
Time.
Family.
Want to.
Love.
Music.
Less
Speed.
Mindless work.
Complexity.
Have to.
Sickness.
Stuff.
Bullshit.
Thank you for your encouragement. I feel like my kids, as young adults, have been figuring out sooner rather than later not to give their money and time to the big companies. My daughter-in-law quit to be a full time mom. They don't have cable and quit eating out. My other son even cancelled his home internet when ATT doubled the price. My college daughter is a vegetarian and bikes to work. My other daughter is married to a mechanic who has a "we can fix this" attitude. They are behind my decision to quit. My employer has forgotten that we are not slaves. We need to remember that ourselves.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to hear that you have lots of family support for your decision. It sounds like all of you are pioneers on the road to post-consumerism, which considering the state of things today is a worthy path to follow. Our happiness (and survival) depends on it.
DeleteThe evidence is conclusive that the consumer plot is a scam in which a few get rich while the rest work hard to buy stuff they don't need. Best to escape as soon as you can to a better life free from the whole mess (as much as that is possible right now).
Is there something you can do to make your blog more readable on a mobile device? Right now the font is too small for small screens.
ReplyDeleteI will see what I can do. Thanks for the heads up - I don't own a mobile device of my own.
DeleteLove you both! Your inner force always inspire me and give me streng to pursuit this way if living.
ReplyDelete