I had planned to tell you about Thoreau today. Over the weekend we had walked around Walden Pond and seen the site of his cabin in the woods, and of course he and I are into the same thing—silence, solitude and simplicity and sometimes liking to be alone.
But instead I must tell you about the farmer I met on the beach this morning. Yes, a farmer, and an organic one at that. He told me so when I stopped to ask him why he was pitch-forking seaweed into plastic bags. Seems that seaweed is the best fertilizer imaginable and free for the hauling, the only cost being a sore back that he pays dearly for every time.
I like to think of farming, especially organic farming, as a return to the simple life—working the land from sunrise to sunset, healthy for mind/body/spirit. But here was my farmer friend lifting, pitching, bagging, hauling. There may be something very pure and wholesome about it, and therefore simply in some ways, but it is also a very complex endeavor. My friend didn’t seemed stressed, in fact he was enjoying the particular activity as well as the general idea of organic farming. According to one of my definition of simplicity—if you’re not stressed you have simplicity--I’d have to say there was simplicity in his life.
Simplicity is complex! I’ll have to make some more observations about it. I’d love to hear any examples of yours.
But instead I must tell you about the farmer I met on the beach this morning. Yes, a farmer, and an organic one at that. He told me so when I stopped to ask him why he was pitch-forking seaweed into plastic bags. Seems that seaweed is the best fertilizer imaginable and free for the hauling, the only cost being a sore back that he pays dearly for every time.
I like to think of farming, especially organic farming, as a return to the simple life—working the land from sunrise to sunset, healthy for mind/body/spirit. But here was my farmer friend lifting, pitching, bagging, hauling. There may be something very pure and wholesome about it, and therefore simply in some ways, but it is also a very complex endeavor. My friend didn’t seemed stressed, in fact he was enjoying the particular activity as well as the general idea of organic farming. According to one of my definition of simplicity—if you’re not stressed you have simplicity--I’d have to say there was simplicity in his life.
Simplicity is complex! I’ll have to make some more observations about it. I’d love to hear any examples of yours.