My name is (wait for it…. wait for it…) that’s right! Penney! There’s that sneaky extra ‘E’ in there and all, but it’s still pretty appropriate that I’m here, don’t you think? Of course, the reason I’m here has nothing whatsoever to do with my name. I’m here to add my own thoughts and ramblings to this theme of affordable and sustainable living – a crucial topic for this day and age if there ever was one!
My take on all of this will be a bit different, which is the whole point of having a myriad of writers contributing – so that you, the reader, can find the tips and tricks that will resonate and truly vibe with your own life. My perspective, as you will undoubtedly come to know over time, is going to be a bit more on the radical end of the spectrum and based in a lot of DIY activities and recipes. I’m an aspiring homesteader and farmer who is currently trapped in a small urban apartment while I work myself through school for clinical herbalism and nutrition. I’m also a foodie through and through.
I believe that the most unfortunate thing about modern day society and capitalism is that it has caused us to doubt our own innate ability to take care of ourselves and, thus to forget very basic skills. Everything is so accessible nowadays in stores or on the internet, to the point that we no longer do or make for ourselves things that we always would have before (in some form or another). I find the fact that most of us cannot walk into nature and know what is safe to eat very frightening and extremely sad – and I am not exempt from this in the least. Oh I’ve taken some botany and wildcrafting classes (harvesting wild foods and medicines), and I know a little bit, but I’ve got a long way to go. And it’s an uphill battle when basic skills like this are no longer passed down through the generations. If we grew up in communities where each person showed each child every edible plant that their own friend/parent/lover had shown them, well, then it would be second nature to all of us by now.
So I’m beginning this journey with you by posing some questions. What little aspects of life (skills, products, food items) do you take for granted because they are automatically supplied by someone or something else? Can you see a way to cut out some of the “middle men” in this process and either do without or make yourself? What new skill could you learn that would boost your self-worth and remind you how powerful and capable you are? Can you differentiate clearly between want and actual need?
These are big questions with even bigger answers, and the journey to self sufficiency is long and paved with a lot of trial and error. But, if you’re anything like me (and it’s totally fine if you’re not!), then each little baby step that you make toward reclaiming power over your life is a thrill that motivates you along to the next step, and the next, and the next….
I promise I won’t be so heavy every time I post here. Mostly I think I’ll be sharing recipes, craft ideas, DIY projects, etc., but I felt I needed to preface it all with a glimpse into how my own mind works and how I view the world.
I’m so happy to be here, and thanks for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment