Be the Change

Be the change you wish to see in the world...

...have you ever read the bumper sticker? It is originally drawn from Ghandi`s mouth but has been changed/twisted a lot over the years and can nolonger be referred to as coming from him. I love the bumper sticker version aswell as much of Ghandi`s unchanged quotes. My surprise was therefore great when I discovered that some people understand the bumper sticker version in the way that one only needs bother about one's self and one's own doings and let the world and all in it fend for themselves. 

That is not the way I interpreted it.

My interpretation involves getting out of the couch and seeing what I can do, here, in my little corner. How does what I do and how I choose to live my life effect others? In my own country and beyond? 

We are all different and have different experiences and possibilities. We all lead different lives and our cultures vary, from little to much. Regardless of this, we can all do something. For ourselves and for everybody in a small or big way.

In my own life I have always wanted to do something "for the greater good" klisjè i know, but yet valid. My problem has been I think, that I have had too big plans, too large a perspective in my situation and for my own abilities and it has left me feeling a bit hopeless at times. 

(homemade butter)

Then I got sereously ill and ended up having to make "my home my castle" so to speak and I discovered that I had been missing out on the obvious in the everyday life. The personal environmental aspect. My footprint on this planet. How destructive was I going to let it be?

I began looking at my consumption and my waste. Why do I buy what I buy, what do I really need and what ends up in the bin. I took a closer look into what I was teaching my children and working on teaching them to think for themselves and not swallow everything the media serves. We have legalized boredom in our family, meaning that the children don`t need to be shipped around and activized 24 -7 , it`s a good thing to be bored sometimes. Through being bored in periods, we learn to use our imagination and find creative solutions to problems. We also find time to think for ourselves, someting today`s modern society does it`s best to prevent. We are told what clothes are "in" what cars, holidays and diets are "in". We are richer than ever in this country, we have dozens of gadgets to help us get things done.

Yet, we have never had so little time to spare.

Now what does all this have to do with my cake pictures and talk of footprints on the planet? Consumption. Overconsumption. I am reducing my consumption step by step, I am reducing my amount of waste step by step, I am trying to raise environmentally aware children brave enough to be themselves and come to their own conclusions about the world around them.

We are trying to make more and more of our food from scratch, grow fruit and vegetables and use natures` resources such as wood, different berries, fish etc. In doing this we hope to reduce the amount of packaging and thus reduce waste. Fruit and vegetables without pestisides, free exersize, recreation for mind, body and soul from nature...the list goes on.

There is a large number of lonely people in our modern society. Senior citizens sitting alone all day, hoping that someone will take the time to pop in for a cup and a chat. Charitable organisations organize visitors for lonely people. They need more volunteers, a little of our time makes a big difference.

Take a rest at the side of the road sometimes and smell the flowers...

or just have a chat with someone who needs it.

Wish you all a lovely weekend and apologize for not translating today. 

Pam xx