One of the key elements that cancer includes is a keen
desire to reflect on the past, the finer things, and the simpler things. It will also help you turn your thoughts
towards the future with a careful reflection upon our past, the things we did
or didn’t do, why we did or didn’t do something, and do we want to do something
about it, are the factors used to decide upon the path to follow when making
decisions in the present.
I used to confuse people when we were drinking by
occasionally making up some wildly philosophic saying, credit it to an unknown
important sounding person in the past.
One of my favorites was “if memories are made from things we have done,
and seen in the past, which is behind us – why don’t we walk around backwards
in order to get a better perspective of what was on our path as we travelled
it”. Ok, so I mixed some Timon/Pumbah
with a little bit of Bill/Ted in the philosophizing department, but I think you
get the point of how to use the past to help shape the future.
In my current circumstances, I have started to meet more and
more people with cancer, and continue to be impressed with how they are
handling the situation and hope that I present myself in a similar fashion. I have mentioned before, and will mention
again – Steve Barnes – a fellow Sea King aviator who was diagnosed 2 years
ago. His current big picture project
right now, made me reflect on my past. He
talks about adjusting to a simpler lifestyle by spending more time off the
grid, which brings me back to my childhood – off the grid. Funny coincidence is that my parents came to
visit me this week.
I have joked many times, that I likely won’t retire that
way, because I grew up that way… my parent still love their lifestyle, in a
mountain valley, not far from civilization, without cell phone service, electric bills, but
solar panels that power a satellite internet modem so that their cabin in the
woods has wifi.
Recent reflections have caused a substantial shift in
perceptions, and also priorities. That
is what happens when you have a life altering statement enter your life. I am sure Steve always had the cottage plan
in his future, but I am willing to bet that many facets of it have changed. His
most notable change was probably in the timeline to achieve it, or probably how
much he will use it will be different than the “plan A” dream of a few years
ago. This is a bit of speculation on my
part. As I watch him forge ahead,
combining his planned cabin with his new situation that I term “growing up and
getting a real job” now that flying is likely taken off the table for him, as
it will for me.
Steve has started a website and a blog to talk about his new
project. Just as much the factor of what
the cabin in the woods has, is that he needs it to be able to function for him
in his new employment lifestyle. That is
why the name of the website is very tongue in cheek about his intended
lifestyle of “income off the grid”.
Back to the reality of what I wanted to talk about…. Shift
in priorities, perceptions and goals.
The off the grid lifestyle has some really big advantages. Not the least of which is that you have to be
more careful with your energy expenditures.
As a cancer patient, a person will become very in-tune with only having
a finite amount of energy available. I
expect that many other people have the same issues –cancer is what brought it
to my attention in great big flashing neon lights. Living off the grid is the
exact same method of thinking. When you
can’t just flip a switch and know that the electrons are available to flow down
the wire to make something function, you need to consider what energy is used
for.
Off grid energy is of limited supply, and the great thing
about this is that it helps unplug a person from the “busy”. Just like a person with cancer has a limited amount of energy that can be used in the run of a day. Running a TV, game console or other luxury
convenience will have a price to pay.
Like many budgets, the luxury items need to be the first things that get
cut when demand exceeds supply. If I spend too much time and effort doing something, I have to stop doing things. In an
off grid lifestyle, this forces people to unplug and do more things that don’t
involve the luxury items, cable TV or the ability to always just nuke something
to eat. You get to slow down, talk to
others, and cook that item on a stove in 10 minutes, not the 1 minute 30 second
microwave setting.
Going out to a cottage also has the benefit of the
outdoors. Sitting in suburbia watching
the sun rise or set over your neighbour’s garage just doesn’t have the same
value. Have you considered that? How about the ability to have a fire in your
backyard – with more and more bylaw enforcers running around telling you what
you can’t do in the city – where can you enjoy those things? I would rather sit around a campfire than a
TV. Always have, always will – call that
a perk of growing up off the grid……
I know that I am rambling a bit, but I think my point is
about how to re-evaluate what is going on in life, and what to do next. I sit back and envy Steve, he has a plan, and
he made a scale model of his cabin (really – not kidding) to make sure that it
met his needs. I look forward to sitting
back and starting to “plan my cabin”. Many
debate the definition of “off the grid”, and I describe is as “a lifestyle that
makes you self-reliant on necessary utilities”.
I am sure people will disagree with this, as people have satellite
dishes – but those are luxury items. You
don’t need them to continue. A good test
of “off the grid” living is that you need to imagine that your power has gone
out at your house for 72 hours or more.
You are no longer receiving things from “the grid” – now continue your
life.
This all reflects to the concepts of what is really
important and needed in a persons life.
Cancer will help you re-define what is necessary, and what is a
luxury. This makes a connection between
cancer and off-grid living in probably a very round-about way. I expect to get better at this blogging thing
as I work on getting my mind back on track, and group my thoughts a little better.
A true benefit of an off the grid cabin is it will also will
allow people to learn to enjoy the wait for a quality cup of good perked
coffee…. because electric coffee pots are so power hungry…..
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