Sometimes, I feel like I was born in the wrong era. Of course, God knew what He was doing in placing me where I am, but sometimes, especially this time of year, I wish that we still did things the way they used to be done. Here is a list of things I wish we did more often, and I plan to do at some point in my life.
- Garden and farm our food. We are so disconnected from the things we eat. Everything comes in a packaged, pre-mixed form, which can just be dumped in a pot, add water, and eat. When we were in Thailand last summer, we were touring a farm that the organization that our friend worked for ran. It was small, but included goats to make goats milk soap, and chilis that were grown and sold. While we were walking around, my friend Emily plucked a little green chili off the plant and ate it. I had one too, and let me tell you, it was one of the most delicious chilis I have ever had, partially because it was a Thai chili, and partially because it literally was seconds away from the plant that it was grown on before it entered my mouth. A week or two ago, I made some vegetarian slow cooker chili. Everything that went into it was a raw ingredient of some sort, mostly veggies and spices. The most processed things were canned beans. It was delicious, and it was so fulfilling to know that I had created it out of raw ingredients. I look forward to one day when I don't live in an apartment, and I can have a small garden where I can grow cucumbers, carrots, onions, and others.
- Get our eggs from the hen house. I eat a lot of eggs. Mostly in scrambled form on sandwiches or wraps. It would be so cool to go out and gather fresh eggs, and knowing the hens that they came from were treated humanely, and fed a proper and nutritious diet.
- Reading aloud to the family. My family can tell you that half of my childhood was spent in a book, and I always made sure to have one with me. When my sister Jess and I were little, we had a huge bookshelf full of books, and my favorites were mostly our collection of Golden Books. We also had a book with an accompanying cassette tape of Aesop's Fables that we would listen to over and over while we followed along in the book. My mom could probably still recite the Pokey Little Puppy from the hundreds of times she must have read it to my sister. (Thanks, Mom, for instilling in us a love and appreciation for books!) One of the things that I most look forward to about having children one day is to be able to read to them. Not just children's books, either. I want to read novels to them, and the time in the evenings when we read the next chapter in Peter Pan is one that they can't wait for.
- Playing music at home with your family. Whether it is the violin, guitar, piano, mandolin, or whatever. My family has always had an appreciation for music, and my Dad plays drums, Mom plays keyboard and bass, Jess plays guitar, Josh plays drums, my younger sister Shelby, Mom and I sing, and I used to play violin and am trying to learn mandolin. My brother Drake played drums for awhile, but he is more interested in the electronic side of music. Unfortunately, we don't get to play music together often, but when we do have impromptu music sessions, it is so fun. I've always dreamed of playing and singing Christmas songs together before bed on Christmas Eve. Maybe Josh and I and our future children can do that.
- Social activities such as barn dances, corn huskings, and church socials. Although from my other points, it may sound like the quiet farm life is for me, let me tell you, this ESFJ personality type would be the one organizing the activities. I live for social interaction. It fills up my soul. A few years ago, a friend invited me to a Christmas barn dance in Ozark, and it was so. much. fun. Most of the girls were wearing long skirts that spun out when you twirled, and everyone knew the dances like the Virginia Reel and the Postie. Since it was my first barn dance, I had no idea what I was doing but I caught on quickly, helped along by the guy who would call out the steps. I love love love to dance, and group dances are my favorite. When paired with Christmas fiddle and bluegrass music, it was a blast.
- Writing on a typewriter. Jess and I had a typewriter when we were little, and we would always write stories on it. Unfortunately, it was a typewriter from the 90's that would electronically go to the next line rather than having to push the thing over, but it was fun nonetheless.
- An old-fashioned Christmas. Oh my gosh, when I see a Currier and Ives or Norman Rockwell Christmas painting, I'm like, THAT'S what I want it to be like! Sparkly, fresh snow on the ground, people ice skating on the lake, sleigh rides (someone please take me on a sleigh ride sometime in my life!), a warm, cozy fire in the fireplace, homemade cookies baking in the oven, all of the family is there in one house, a beautiful real Christmas tree decorated with lights, tinsel, and ornaments, carolers outside, a cup of hot cocoa in your hands, and more focus on time spent with family and on the birth of Christ than acquiring the latest, greatest things. Christmas is my FAVORITE time of year. There is a house that I drive by going to work everyday that I've always thought would make the perfect old-fashioned Christmas house. And it's on a private drive called Penny Lane. Go figure.
I could go on and on forever, but you get my point. I just long for a simpler life, and I am excited to make these things happen someday. What are some things that you wish we still did?
