Anxiety and Inheritance vs Peace and Plants
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I was born into a wealthy family and I am thankful to where it has gotten me as far as perspective goes, but realize that money is like toilet paper (useful to have around when guests are visiting). Seriously though, I never felt any sense of security when I was living off of inherited wealth. I always felt like a baby who was entirely at the whims of the world. Sure I could buy anything I wanted and my social status helped in making business connections, but it all seemed so hollow as I had never had to work for it.
A few years ago my family disowned me, and that was the best thing that could have ever happened. I knew I wanted to learn what could be done with little to no money. Squatting and rummaging through trash to survive taught me how much people waist useful materials. For a while that was awesome to me as it was the complete 180 of what I had been raised as, but still I couldn't escape the fact that I wasn't really providing for myself. Instead of depending on my families wealth I was depending on societies waistfulness.
The answer came as an organic farm. One night I met a Jamaican man outside a bar who was really friendly and told me he was visiting to work on a nearby farm. It seemed like something I had been looking for and so checked it out later that week. Ten acres of land was all they had, but from that a family of four and two farm hands all lived and prospered. It was totally simple living, but all very healthy and a lot more comfortable than living in the streets. I volunteered there and worked for a week without pay, but got room and and board in exchange which is very common trade for a small scale farm. After proving my determination I was hired on full time. The pay was low, but the extremes of wealth and poverty I had experienced taught me that it didn't really matter as long as I was happy and secure. Farming gave me such a sense of security as I learned more and more how to be sustainable. I worked on that farm for two years, moved across country and found another even cooler farm where I am learning things from a slightly different perspective. In the process of this lifestyle I have begun to save money, as I don't have to pay for much of anything anymore. The money just doesn't matter that much anymore. I am thinking that about the only real thing to do with it is eventually invest in my own piece of land or possibly with some other people to start a shared garden.
I haven't talked to my family in years and I don't plan on ever speaking to them again. I think of them sometimes and all that comes to mind is sympathy for how dependent they are on the worst possible circumstances of the world. I believe that we are approaching a collapse. I hope that is the case. We need to press the reset button as a species, and the safest place to be when that happens is close to nature with your food grown as organically and self sufficiently as possible. I think that the reason I felt so anxious about my situation with my family was that I knew that all of the difference between us and the rest of the world was built on...bad karma basically. I didn't want to get the repercussions. Even if karma is just an idea there is still something deep in the heart of being human which pleads to be fair and live as equals. I know that a lot of people feel something like that. I say, quit your job and find a farm to work on. It might not be easy and you wont get along all of the time, but it is karmically the most honest thing anyone can do, aside from gathering fallen fruit. Self sufficiency is the greatest revolutionary act against the global network of toxic greed which threatens our planet. Go and grow!
Comments
right there
Right there with you!
I feel best on the farm, close to the plants, eating what I grow. My favorite is the Abode of the Message in upstate NY, I'll be back there in a few weeks. Wwoofing made almost all my anxiety just leave, as my wallet gathered dust in a corner somewhere...
Thanks for sharing your
Thanks for sharing your interesting journey. I also quit my job and ran away to farm. It's a good way to go. It may not work for everyone, but everyone should at least realize the experience of growing food and some self sufficiency. I am feeling a bit funny these days because I've chosen to not farm as much so I can work for pay. I hear what you say about money, but when the farm doesn't pay and the coast of living keep being dumped on you, a whole other set of anxiety is created... for me anyway. Good luck!
oh and
for those that want to start farming:
http://wwoof.org/
if you dont like how one place treats you, go to the next, eventually you'll find an awesome fit.
where I'll be this summer:
http://www.abode-of-the-message.org/calendar/
or live in the mexican jungle:
http://tulan.net/
its a wide open world! Let's see what she has to say.
yes
right there with you......I am running back to the farm this summer, even though my family doesn't understand why I would want to work for no money..... having an authentic experience of life is priceless..... Running around in this illusion, trying to save and "get ahead" seems pointless.....

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