blithely skipping back in time

Few things bring me instant joy and ubiquitous goosebumps like browsing through wonderful, dusty old used bookstores, album stores (NOT cds mind you, but actual vinyl records) and really great vintage resale shops for clothes and even furniture.  My ideal home would be a luscious Victorian manor or perhaps something even older; a cottage in the magical English or Scottish countryside.  Something with character, warm inviting rooms, fireplaces and woodburning stoves that you need to use because I love that smell and the sensation of being chilled and needing warmth.  A cozy living room with a great turntable and an epic vinyl collection, endless rows of books upon English library shelves, soft rugs underfoot and addictive sofas and chairs for settling in to read or listen to a great record with a strong cup of tea. 

In some ways, technology has brought us closer and made the world feel smaller.  I'm not always certain whether that is a good thing.  Sure, we can call for help almost anywhere with our trusty cell phones but now we all have unreasonable expectations of instant gratification for everything from returned phone calls to ordered goods.  There was a time, not so long ago, when leaving the house meant you were unreachable, untethered, completely free until you returned to your domicile of land lines and cable TV, if you had moved on from the rabbit ears that is. :)  I love texting back and forth with my love, it's sweet and brings us joy. But perhaps just missing one another all day and storing up that passionate energy until we are united at the end of the day might be a better way to live?

In the film "My Dinner With Andre", Andre Gregory talks to Wallis Shawn about the things in life that make us really feel ALIVE.  He mentions the scrumptious feeling of being cold in his New York flat during the winter and how an electric blanket certainly adds luxury and warmth instantly, but it also replaced the energy and intimacy of dashing under the regular covers to snuggle with a loved one for warmth, sharing in a moment of being totally present and joyously alive and together.  That was when the electric blanket was the latest in new technological comfort gadgets. Nowadays we have baseball caps with built in air conditioners and James Bond style spy pens with secret recording devices that anyone can buy.  But was Andre right? Do these things simply put us into a deeper sleep, a less exhilarating state of being day to day?

People say that their iWhores and Crackberries are necessary for work, and they keep them connected.  I disagree.  Commerce trotted along at a steady pace without these devices and all I see lately are people in cafes and elevators with their heads down, frantically scrolling and typing away to someone far, far away when they are surrounded by other live human beings right then and there but would never know it.  Connected?  I don't think so. 

I often wax poetic about the old days, but I freely admit that I love to browse the internet and check my favorite sites for all things Druidic, yogic, etc.  When used conscientiously, the internet is a marvelous tool.  But when it becomes a necessity, who is working for whom?

I long for simplicity, ancient treasures of daily living, and a feeling of connection to the nature around me, not so much the person living thousands of miles away who is helping me to reset my cell phone.  Perhaps this is simply the swinging of the pendulum, which will eventually make its way to the center of being, where we can return to what is real, what is vital and being one with our surroundings in full consciousness. 

In my heart, this is what I believe...this is what I am creating.