WHEN LESS MEANS MORE
our children. The unfashionable bucket needs to make a resounding comeback too as we all know that more water is wasted if we use the bathing tub to bathe compared to a shower and least if we use a bucket. We really need to make the use of the lowly, outmoded bucket the new hip and happening thing in town.
My bua (who was our helper for 20 long years but really more like my second mother), used to take a cloth bag to the market and bring back all her purchases in it. Times were hard and buying from the hawker selling on the road were expensive so she would go to Sadar Bazar once a week. I remember the distaste with which I would eye her unfashionable cotton bag and how happy I was when plastic bags came into the market. And then in Helsinki (2008) I saw the return of the dirty old cloth bag. The same rectangular shape, with two handles stuck unimaginatively in the middle being carried by several people, The glitzy shiny plastic bags were being slowly edged out. The west committed the excesses ahead of us and likewise realised their mistakes before us too. Meanwhile, we are still wallowing if not swimming in plastic here.
Minimalism could extend to consuming less food too. Did you know intermittent fasting is becoming all the rage now? It boils down to not eating for 16 straight hours - a rather difficult proposition that. Rituja Diwekar, a famous nutritionist has another suggestion. She says eat frequent small meals, the quantum of food being the amount which fills your palm - so eat small portions often.
Does minimalism extend to spending less? Now I believe in spending money - money in circulation keeps the economy healthy. On a similar premise, eating in restaurants keeps people employed. So while saving is a sound idea, one should spend wisely to keep the economy afloat. My dearest father had a penchant of buying stuff from less glamorous, smaller shops- much to my bewilderment. I craved to go to the shiny bright stores.
Only later did I understand his philosophy - it was important to bolster the small businessmen while they were fighting to keep afloat in an unequal battle with the richer businesses. I came across this on Facebook which puts it so succinctly: “When you buy from a small business, you are not helping a CEO buy a third holiday home, you’re helping a little girl get dance lessons, a little boy his team jersey, Moms and Dads put food on the table.”
While talking about minimalism, it will be a good idea to hone the fine art of conversation. This amounts to listening more and talking less in a 60:40 ratio. Time for me to wind up. As my wise friends say, while chasing happiness, let us actively seek satisfaction, contentment and gratitude in our busy lives to improve its overall quality. Enjoy yourself! See if you can reuse, reduce, recycle whatever you can!
Wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!