Good-Bye 2020, Hello 2021

Welcome to the new year, which will probably be much the same as the old year.

While 2020 is finally over, humanity’s challenges will persist into 2021 and beyond, virus or no virus. 

Because of that prediction, in my home we turned the year of Virustime into an opportunity to hone our simple living skills even further. 

We adopted simple living a long time ago so we could be ready for moments exactly like The Great Whatever-That-Was of 2020.

As a result, we were little affected by what was happening around us.

No shopping? No problem. 

No restaurants, no concerts, no travel, no bars? 

No problem. 

We quit all that a long time ago in order to save money and reduce our ecological footprint. 

However, we did not free ourselves from vehicle ownership until this past year, making it one of the biggest changes we have ever made as we progress toward our ideal simple life.

How about social distancing? Being somewhat socially self-sufficient, we've got that dialed as well. 

Like everyone else, there were changes for us, too. Fortunately, most of them were beneficial. 

We joined a food buying club that gives us access to bulk locally grown organic foods. As a result, we got our pantry into fine form over the last few months.

This summer we expanded our garden, growing more food than we ever have before. We also preserved more food this fall than we ever have before. 

We can't wait to start the 2021 growing season. I guess we already have as there are a couple of rows of garlic under mulch under snow out there right now.

We used the year of disruption to replace several foods we used to buy from the grocery store.

That has meant fewer avacados from Mexico, bananas from Central America and oranges from California, and more kale, apples, carrots and potatoes from our garden. 

We replaced store bought energy bars, granola, yogurt, graham wafer biscuits, and plant-based protein patties with recipes we developed ourselves. 

With shaky supply chains, and the very real possibility of break down, we do not want to be dependent on foods that could stop coming at any time. 

We prefer homemade anyway for the improved taste, nutrition, cleanliness, and the cost savings. 

My favourite thing about 2020 is that it made me feel like I was living in a cabin in the woods far from the madness. 

Because of our quiet, rural location and simple routines, plus conditions resulting from the isolation of lockdown, over the past year my home has felt like an ashram, or monastery, or forest hermitage. 

And I have loved it. 

Living a quiet, simple, peaceful and isolated life away from the hubbub has been a lifelong goal, and 2020 was the closest I have got yet to living in such a situation. 

My wish is that 2021 is as quiet, peaceful, slow and deliberate as last year was, and that Linda and I are able to continue turning adversity into opportunity in order to grow as simple living advocates and as human beings.

I extend this wish to the whole human family.

Happy New Year to the readers of Not Buying Anything. May this be your best, most simple and satisfying year yet. 

Why not?

It could happen, even if 2021 turns out to be as tumultuous as last year was.

And it might. Best to be prepared.