Simplicity?

Today marks four complete weeks of no car and no cell phone. It's quite different for an American! This form of simplicity does make life a bit more complicated. With no car, I really cannot plan on arriving at a place at a specific time. Therefore, I either have to leave very, very early or just toss the need for punctuality in my American keepsake box.

Not having a cell phone has been a bit trying. I do only want the phone for keeping in touch with my husband. See, he has no phone access at his school. When he leaves early in the morning to go study at the university, we have to have a mapped out plan of the entire day. If we don't have this plan, hopefully we'll just meet up at our flat later that night. The days we haven't had a plan, I've noticed I stick around the flat more just to make sure I don't miss him when he comes home.

This practiced simplicity has taught me several things. First of all, life without one's own car can be quite doable -- in fact, I am rather enjoying it (especially because punctuality is of little concern to me since I don't have an office job). Second of all, I am feeling rather fantastic about my carbon imprint on the world right now.

Americans are by far the greatest nation of consumers. It's been so easy for us to fall into this consumerism possibly because we don't have the same degree of rich history like other nations nor do we have their beauty. I walk by buildings built in the twelth century here, and it conjures up a sense of placement in history -- a placement I've never sensed in America. To view living history surrounding oneself is a reminder to care for the beauty and goodness God has given us to experience.

I am going to be a consumer of a cell phone though. Soon and very soon. Meanwhile, I'm off to catch a bus to go buy groceries. It's such an adventure to go buy groceries and haul them all the way back to your flat via the bus, a good walk, and a climb up three flights of stairs. Ciao!