Raspberries

Day 179: Raspberries
Please enjoy this outstanding post by guest blogger Jeff Plakke, who has devoted his life to conserving and connecting with nature.

Useful and beautiful: Jeff's cabin in Isle Royale

One year when I was in college I volunteered for the National Park Service and lived for three summer months on Isle Royale, an island park in northern Lake Superior. I was the back country campground host at McCargoe Cove and my home was a three sided Adirondack shelter, shelter #6. I was dropped off by boat at this remote location and received my grocery order every two weeks. I had no running water, no electricity, and could take with me just what I could carry from the boat up the hill to my new home. What this experience taught me about "stuff" and the freedom of going without was incredible. 

First of all it is important to note, I had all the things I needed: a roof over my head, a cot and sleeping bag, clothes, sturdy boots and rain gear, a water filter, a camp stove and food, a small propane-powered refrigerator for a few perishables, a bucket to haul water and wash my clothes, a knife and a saw, and a few other necessities (TP). I also brought a few books; collected Jack London, a wildflower guide, and a journal to fill the hours on rainy days. I could listen to Park Service chatter on the 2 way radio and every few days someone would call my number, "302...". The solitude and peacefulness of that summer are almost impossible to relate to modern life. The elimination of distractions of computers, phones, TV, the numerous appointments and engagements, cars, the shopping and the wanting and all the "stuff" I owned was gone like a fading echo. As time passed and I managed the withdrawals, new energy flowed into me. Physical energy to hike for miles and explore the wilderness. Sleeping under the open sky and diving into frigid waters invigorated me. Mental energy; my senses were heightened, tuned into my body and my surroundings in an ever sharper and expanding sphere of awareness. My mind was clear and balanced, my thoughts more focused, insights became deeper. I felt fully alive and awake in the present moment. OK, I was 22 years old, but I never felt so healthy. And no, I never really felt lonely. There were people to meet there, undistracted and full of their own energy, happy to make a connection.  

What I found in those three months and in the many journeys into the wilderness since is that it takes energy to attend to possessions. The more stuff I have, the less energy I have left over to think, to be aware of myself and my surroundings, to understand the difference between my wants and my needs. Time, energy and freedom come back as I shed the accumulation of things. Henry David Thoreau summed it up well when he wrote, “It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.”

Since that simpler time I've grown, I have a family, a house and a lot more stuff. But what I learned in Shelter #6 has stuck with me. I'm extremely careful about bringing things into my life. I know possession runs both ways and the costs add up, draining my time and energy. I also know that getting rid of stuff isn't the answer to ALL of life's problems, but I think it's surprising how many. So good luck, Karen! Keep it up. Your project is a great reminder to simplify. I can tell you with absolute certainty, it works!

Note from Karen: I did indeed get rid of something today: a thicket of raspberries. I knew when I planted them that they have a tendency to take over, but I couldn't resist. Many a gardener will tell you that most of our weeds are things we originally planted ourselves.