 This and That |
rocky
mountain kids korner for the the kid in all of us |
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Economy  Somewhere
between starting dinner and mopping the floor, I decided to write
this article. And somewhere between the big kids and the girls, I
dreamed that my husband and I would eat dinner out every night, as
in the routine of Regis Philbin. Hasn’t happened, partly because we
enjoy fresh seafood, which is hard to find at restaurants here. And,
it’s impractical to expect a family to eat out every night. After
all, most of my kids have always liked pot roast, spaghetti and meat
sauce, or stewed chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes. Not the
kind of fare, I would be interested in dining on other than at home.
Never stop at a restaurant that claims to serve delicious home
cooked meals, I’ve heard. Good advice, unless you’re on a road trip
out in the
middle of nowhere, and forgot to pack the peanut butter
and jelly. One of our homeschool goals this season is reading Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Set in 1845, it is an autobiographical account of a young man’s perspectives on life while living near Walden Pond. Thoreau is not quite twenty-eight as he takes on the project of living in moderation. Through his descriptive writing, we visualize society at that time and his opinionated observations give us a better understanding of Thoreau himself. We’ve just finished Economy. In elementary terms, M & E consider him to be mean and inconsiderate. This is because he sounds condescending in his characterizations of others in his society. I believe he is but a thoughtful observer contemplating the simplicity of man. On the other hand, I am intrigued by his enlightenment and ponder his observations as a reminder of how little, people change over time. Generation after generation seems to want to keep up with the Jones’s, and compare themselves to others based on how much stuff they can buy. Living abundantly is our true nature, so having things isn’t a problem until we place too much importance on their value. The real test comes when they’re gone. It’s a sad thing to realize that it takes real hardship for many to discover that peace comes from within, not from without. Now, I’d better go check the food. ©11/04/08 |
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