I Have a Feeling...

I have a feeling that is just perculating in the back of my mind. It's not quite fully developed just yet, but I can feel it back there, readying itself...

It has to do with our innate drive to hunt and gather. When our ancestors were alive that is how they spent almost all their time during the day, right? What if THAT is one of the reasons that we feel we need to "stock up" on sale items and buy extras "just in case"? What if it's because of this long ago instinct, handed down subconsciously from one generation to the next that we feel the need to buy, consume, focus on material things? Of course, as I write this part of me is saying "Well, it COULD have something to do with the constant bombardment of the media. It COULD have something to do with the fact that we Americans tend to measure our worth by what we own/consume/have that others don't." And yeah, I'm sure that plays into it greatly. But what if by consuming and worrying about keeping up with the Joneses, we are really trying to fill the very primitive need we have to hunt and gather?

To test my theory out, I'm conducting an unscientific (but fun!) experiment. This summer I have done a few things when the urge to shop hits me: I've started gathering....produce. I made my first ever batch of canned goods a few weeks ago (homemade garlicky pickles), I've picked/cleaned/frozen strawberries and raspberries for winter and I'm starting a list of items to buy for the holidays now, so that I can start stocking up and hopefully get all the shopping/creating done for the holidays long before they arrive. I can't explain it exactly, but I DO feel like there is some part of me inside that just sighs with pleasure every time I've completed one of these tasks. It feels good to know that I'm preparing things now that we can enjoy later. It feels so old-fashioned and pioneering to "put up" things for winter. Though I don't have enough produce from our garden to can, I do plan to frequent the local organic produce stand and farmer's market and do a lot more canning this summer.

Here's to living more simply...