All I need can be found in this canvas tent. It has every basic necessity that I need to survive, coupled with a few somewhat modern conveniences. I have far too many worldly possessions and I am aware of that. It is something that I am working on, getting rid of the stuff in my life that holds no true value. The things that I hold on to because society tells me that I need to.
Every hunting season I spend extended periods of time living out of this tent, sometimes weeks at a time. I am blessed with this opportunity and eternally grateful for those moments. While basking in the fire light of the wood stove one evening with a whiskey in my hand, I had an impactful thought. I had been living comfortably in this tent for a week, surrounded by very few material items. In that week, I never once felt that I was short on something or needed anything else to be happy and healthy. It took me a few minutes to scour through what I had done in the last 7 days, searching for anything at all that I felt I was missing. Nothing came to mind.
Life is remarkably simple and yet for some reason, we strive to make it more complicated and gain pleasure from this pursuit. I myself am guilty of always desiring the next best thing. That night in this canvas tent changed me, I truly believe for the better. I don’t need much, and honestly; I was more happy with less. We are a busy society, we “Need” the latest toy hauler, $70K pick up, and a larger home to house the miscellaneous items we collect and deem an arbitrary value. I think that if we hit pause, eliminate the static we don’t need to survive, and invested that energy in to our own pursuit of happiness; that things would be a lot different. I would love to spend that money and time on true adventure and relationships and see where it takes me.
The old timers didn’t have much outside of their canvas tent, their cave, or their ramshackle log cabin. I would be willing to bet that they appreciated their minimalistic possessions and spent more time/effort on absorbing every breath, every sunrise, and every smile during their lifetime. Time is limited and life is short, focus on the necessities and enjoy the pleasures you are gifted. Spend some time with less and I think that you will gain a whole lot more.