It's been a whole year of reduction: on the 11th of February last year, Kara and I left our place in South Normanton, and embarked on a journey of discovery and change.
How am I doing? In terms of reduction? Well, I currently only have the stuff with me I can carry on my back, plus a desk I bought second hand last week. True, at Kara's place here in Sweden there is more stuff I'm able to use like cups and spoons and chairs and a bed, but the apartment is pretty sparse; most of the stuff will go back to the charity shops it came from when she leaves, anyway.
I don't have a car, but I'm most likely to get one as soon as I get to Canada. And I'll be reunited with a load of my stuff - that we sent to Canada from the UK, last year.
I've been listening to Henry David Thoreau's "Walden" and it is wonderful, a great story telling of the beauty of simplicity. It is plain to me, now, how little I need. Having lots of clothing only means less frequent clothes washing. Having, as HDT puts it, lumps of limestone on one's desk only leads to more dusting...!
Tonight I have been to pottery class, which is lovely. Making the feet on three pieces I started last week, plus making one other from scratch. Part of me is saying I'm crazy making these things here, that will be so hard to take with me, but it's fun doing the making, even if the things get broken or lost.
During the day, I have been doing a little work for my old company, which I am of course enjoying - learning new bits of programming, solving problems. But tomorrow I'm going to paint walls. Hurrah!
There is so much to know, if you choose to, but after a point it's just clutter. Waking up to the birds singing, watching the stars, dreaming - these things are magical. Every child knows it.
1 year ago today, was I wiser or more foolish? Was I younger at heart or older? Happier or sadder? Better or worse? It doesn't matter - I can't travel back, become who I was. I can't even remember most of the day, though I do remember walking out, carrying our heavy packs, taking the bus and being outraged at paying £1 for less than a minute's ride to the station...
I don't even think it was the start. There is no true beginning, just a clearing haze of awareness. I wonder if death will be different, but I suppose it depends on how and when you die.
And one year from now? Well!
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