WRVG: Supporting Simple Living and Spiritual Progress

In the last year, as my tape suppliers have withered, I have gone to the store and bought a CD player- twice. I returned them both. It just doesn't feel right for me to make that change. I'm not ready to give up on tapes and I'm still not comfortable spending $13.00 or so for a CD. Clearly I have a dilemma! I am dedicated to my simple life style, and I have a strong appreciation of recorded music.

My choice to live simply and frugally is intended to serve me, not deprive me. I know the desire to keep my life simple (by not having to work more hours to feed my CD habit) is stronger than my desire to own them. Yet I have a need and desire to have the music I appreciate the most.

I've discovered there are two aspects to this issue: practical and spiritual. From a practical point of view, if I'm making a commitment to simplicity, which necessarily excludes CD's, I need to have a suitable and appropriate alternative. In thinking about this, it occurred to me that I simply need to make a commitment in my life to live in a place with good alternative and eclectic radio. Further contemplation revealed to me that a meaningful commitment to radio requires that I have copies of my chosen stations' schedules posted in my home, so that I can listen to my favorite music or shows with ease. My new commitment to radio may require me to make daily or weekly scheduling choices and decisions which take my shows into consideration.

I was willing to do this. Although the radio station of dreams didn't exist, to my knowledge, there were two that I was willing to make due with. I walked over to their studios and picked up some schedules. I hung them in my kitchen. I was ready to go.

In order to proceed with my plan, I had to realize that what drives my compulsion to possess good music is a belief in scarcity. When a song comes on the radio that I've never heard before,I feel excited; then I go into a sort of panic. My mind races ahead to "Who made the recording? How can I find out? Will I be able to find it?" Next my visual mind rushes into what would be the perfect setting for really getting in to this music. (When I'm relaxed, with a certain friend, like that.) In the meantime, I've stopped listening to the song now!

Radio is scary to me. What if after this great song ends it's gone forever? Maybe the good music will run out and I won't have it in my life anymore. My belief that there is a scarcity of goodness leads me to want to hold onto it tightly whenever it does come. That's where my compulsion to own CD's comes from! Radio is a great metaphor!

If my decision to depend on radio (rather than CD's) for my new music is going to work, I have to be willing to trust that goodness is in plenty. That there is so much goodness in fact, that there will always be more. That after one great song goes, there will be more amazing music another time, guaranteed. Only Trust can allow me to hear a wonderful tune and enjoy it. I can only really take in the music I adore if I am calm and trusting enough to remain in the moment when it is flowing through the wires.

It is a miracle and no coincidence, I believe, that as soon as I had worked through my fear about scarcity, a friend said to me ÒHey! Have you heard the new radio station?...Ó

WRVG's eclectic programming fits perfectly the description of the type of alternative radio I had decided I wanted in my life. Now all my radios are set to 89.9.

I can hear the slogan now: ÒWRVG. Supporting Simple Living and Spiritual ProgressÓ!

Meet "Bob": Bum or Model Citizen?

"Bob"is a member of our community who you might have seen around. I'd describe him as "That older man who goes around on a big three wheeled bicycle.Ó On the surface, this man may seem merely odd. However, I have lived in the Aylesford neighborhood for over four years, and have had a chance to grow to appreciate this neighbor. Not only do I find Bob to be a responsible member of the community, I also consider some of his actions as inspiriational food for thought for Simple Living.

First off, how many men beyond their sixties do Lexingtonians commonly see using a bicycle as their main mode of transportation? How many people do we see using bicycles for transportation for that matter? Sadly, hardly any. This elder bike rider exemplifies many great attributes by riding to do his food shopping and other errands. First, he is doing something that benefits his body. He is exercising his muscles, and cardiovascular system. Second, he is outside, breathing "fresh" air. Third, by being a bike rider, he spends time naturally involved with the elements. He lives more with the seasons and their many and varied gifts, as well as that force of nature we are yet to conquer: the weather. There is another value implicit in my neighbor's out and aboutness: he has the TIME it takes to travel at this slowed down pace. Now isn't that a Quality Life, having the TIME to travel on three big wheels? Don't we all wish we had time to ride around leisurely?

Of course, one could say he only has time because he doesn't have a job, which implies he should have one and is a failure and perhaps a menace to society because he doesn't. In that case, here is some more information about Bob. Not only does he ride his wide and stable bike with the large wire basket in back to do his shopping at the store, I've also seen him many a time searching through garbage! Now one might be compelled to call Bob a bum, perhaps dismiss him as crazy. I'm not here to defend his sanity (though I may be here in part to redefine sanity). To be honest, I've had similar thoughts. Until recently, that is, when I saw something that expanded my perception.

For the last two weekends, Bob has (by the generosity of another supportive neighbor,) laid his collected stuff out on the front lawn of a house with the purpose of selling it . I live in an area where there are a lot of students, and when they move out of their apartments, a lot of fine stuff gets thrown out. I have seen "Bob" come back several days in a row to a particularly huge load of "trash" put on the curb, and go through it slowly, carefully, and no doubt, thoroughly.

This may not be my favorite way to spend three afternoons, but that's okay, we are all different by default. What I didn't appreciate at the time of Bob's daily return to this spot, was how this activity of his fit into a bigger picture, one which includes the possibility of validity and goodness. We all know there is too much stuff. So much that we don't value or appreciate it. So much that our country's young adults (and others) toss out perfectly functional furniture, clothes and even artwork.

We don't need more furniture and clothes made, do we? Every time I go to a thrift store I am excited by the quantity and array of clothes available; a much more eclectic selection than any department store! And so affordable it allows shopping to be fun, rather than a worrying experience. (I don't know about you, but for me the cost of new clothes is so high that- well I choose not to do it. The amount of hours I would have to work to earn the money to buy new clothes is- not how I want to use my time!)

And furniture- I have helped alleviate some of the overuse of landfills by furnishing my home with curbside treasures. Why would I want to spend hundreds of dollars on a new desk when I can have a fabulously huge one (a discarded door) for free? Not to mention (again) the number of hours it would take to earn that much money. I'd rather be painting, or spending time with dear friends. Also, I ask, why use more natural resources to build new couches when there are tons (literally) of them already made, for the taking?

Finally, I ask, why should Bob have a "real job" if he can earn money selling stuff he happened to get for free? The only costs to him are his time, physical energy, patience and willingness.

Since I know that the less I need materially, the less I need monetarily, I can surmise that perhaps Bob can afford to live this way because his needs are simple, a cycle which feeds on itself. Bob rides a bike instead of driving, therefore his need for money to pay for auto insurance, maintenance and gas is nonexistent.

How Bob spends his time is his business, but to me, his actions are a thought provoking example of Simple Living.

I am enchanted by the idea that by picking out (his perception of) valuable goods, Bob is doing a community service. He makes the garbage collector's job easier, he helps clean up the neighborhood, he saves stuff from an unnecessary and useless fate in a land fill, he offers us a chance to save money and help the environment by reusing things. If Bob can earn money with which to survive through his actions and lifestyle, I say he deserves to be paid! Bob works for the community.

One final anecdote about Bob really moved me. After the Wildcats won the NCAA tournament, the streets and sidewalks were covered with broken glass. The city street-cleaning trucks took care of most of the street's glass, but the sidewalk remained a hazardous place for several weeks. Every time I was out walking on it, I thought about the students and their apparent lack of concern and conscientiousness. I gave them a few days to recover from their hangovers before coming out with brooms to sweep up their mess, but it never happened. I thought of doing it myself, but-well you know how it is, I just didn't.

Then one day I was picking my way home on the sidewalk when who did I see, but Bob. He was a few yards in front t of his bicycle, and had a small hand broom. He was sweeping up the sidewalk! I stopped to speak to this man, the only one in the whole neighborhood to work positively for the community. I was moved to tears. I thanked him on behalf of the Aylesford neighborhood for his responsible, generous proactive behavior. He informed me he'd been working on it a bit every day and had cleaned up the whole sidewalk beginning at Kroger. "After all", he said "if I don't do it, my tires'll bust ".

Okay, so maybe Bob's motivation is not for the good of the local and global community. The point is, I see a lot of worthiness in the older man who goes around on that three wheeled bike. What's important for me, is to honor the goodness and validity of what I see, and use it to evaluate, refine, and my case, celebrate my own evolving version of Simple Living.

If by reading these words you have been inspired to think or to question what is a normal, desirable and sustainable lifestyle, you are not alone. There are many who are rethinking their lives and choices, even in Lexington.

The "Voluntary Simplicity Support Group" has been meeting for over two years to discuss and provide support for people either desiring, questioning or already choosing a simpler lifestyle. We've discussed such topics as: Community, suburbia, solar energy, alternative lifestyles (co-housing and intentional communities), Voluntary Simplicity and children, aging, gift giving, food, investing, and much more! Upcoming topics include: Community Gardening and The Millenium. We are a group of individuals who appreciate thinking and learning. We enjoy fellowship with like minded folks in a nondogmatic setting. If you feel attracted to this, you may call Lisa Kaplan (225-1060) for more information including dates, times and locations.

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