Morning Pogue,

I enclose a photo I took recently for you to look at.

This is a woman who I met recently when I was trekking in Nepal, up in the foothills of the Himalayas. She lived in a village that had only one central source of water, was cooking over an open fire and quite obviously had limited possessions. But she greeted us openly, offering us tea, which I declined as gracefully as possible (I can’t start to get my tongue around the butter/salt tea that is commonly drunk in this part of the world). We sat and she talked with us via the guide and spent a good part of the time laughing. She was one amongst a number of village people I met as we walked and all seemed content with their lot.

Knowing there is so much to be had in the world, things to be acquired and possessed most didn’t seem particularly bothered. They would make a journey to the store/s once a month or so to acquire what they considered essentials and that was it. The rest of the time they lived off their land.

When you are walking for hours you are often alone with your thoughts so I got to thinking and looking at myself. I have actually gone through an exercise in reducing my possessions not so long ago. A hard look at what I have and what of it I don’t need. A lot was given away, some was sold, some went to a rubbish tip. And I wrote you a letter telling you how liberating the whole experience turned out to me.

Whilst we in the West would count ourselves blessed if we had a lot of “stuff” and could go out and acquire more possessions as the whim takes us I’m going to say this is actually a curse. We are filling our lives with concerns and moving away, far away, from the real joys and values of life.

Less debt, more living.
Less spending, more savings.
Less junk, more quality.
less cleaning, more purpose.
Less lost, more found.
Less house, more home.
Less mess, more peace.
Less stuff, more freedom.
Less busy, more calm.

Zinc Harrington

I’m realising that we have lost a lot of the real value of life, most of which exists within ourselves. Being able to be content with what we currently have in life, where we are, and not to be forever striving to have more, be more, attain more. I wonder if most people I know ever really experience peace? That deep down contentment and sense of wellbeing that can overtake us when we allow time and turn from the continuing race for more.

Peace is the result of retraining the mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.

Wayne Dyer

So I’ve been reminded of an important life lesson as I walked. To be content with your lot on life. Yes, by all means allow for improvements and things that ease life but let’s ask ourselves “do we really need that thing? Will it improve life?” I have a reliable car, do I really need a bigger more prestigious one? If so, why? And if I can’t offer up an answer of substance then I need to be content with what I have now. Same with so many other things. Ask yourself why you want a thing, what extra benefits it will bring to your life, if you even need it, before ever you own it. You’ll find that most things will not pass the test those questions impose. And know, we are all happier living within our means than forever striving for more to enable us to possess more. Some people will never ever know peace in this life. Sad.

Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over you body.

George Carlin

A bit of idealism, maybe, but long ago I said “I choose peace” and this can be applied to all sorts of things in life. I choose peace over possessions and the concerns and worries they bring. I choose peace over the the continuous striving that our society indulges in, the constant need to climb the next mountain only to find another behind it.

Pogue, choose peace. It’s a life improvement, really.

Yours, slowing down and enjoying this moment,

Wic