A Simpler Time: What can you offer?

Imagine for a minute that the world was reset to a “simpler” time. Much of today’s technology does not exist. If you want food you have to grow it, hunt it, gather it OR trade something tangible for it. The Barter System. You have to provide something that people want or need to get what you want or need because money does not exist. What can you offer?

I asked myself this question and the answer I got was luke warm at best. Sure there are plenty of things that I can do. Plenty of things that I’m good at in the current service oriented America we live in. What if I had to be a producer though? What if I needed to create something that was an absolute necessity? Heck, I can’t even keep a cactus alive, let alone grow my own food. Every Spring I tell myself, OK this year I’m going to grow some vegetables. You know nothing crazy, I’m not a farmer or anything and like many of you I don’t live on a huge chunk of land. By grow vegetables I mean a tomato plant in a pot and maybe some zucchini and a pepper plant or two. Every year it seems I end with the same result…. A plant with one shriveled zucchini and a few small peppers. Thank you tomato plant! Some how tomatoes I have found moderate success with. I can buy a tomato plant and actually get my money back in tomatoes, by shear luck no doubt and the clever biologist who found ways to engineer idiot proof tomato plants.

My grandfather was an amazing woodworker. Every year he would make some truly amazing toys for children’s hospitals at Christmas time. Each of his creations had the upmost attention to detail and quality. He could do anything with wood. I can remember him reworking a piece of wood, repainting it and in many instances starting over if it was not perfect. He took pride in it and the completed product was something to be proud of.

It used to be that everyone in America was that way. Creating things with their own hands and valuing the quality of their work. Things were created here in America. We live in a different world today but I think it’s important to hold on to a little bit of the past. I would encourage everyone to learn to create or do something tangible. Knit, woodwork, metalwork, brew, farm, sew, grow, fish, hunt, build, create!

Find that old art form that appeals to you and invest just a little time each day or week to it. Pick a small project to start and don’t stop until its perfected.

I’m reminded of something Tom Cruise’s character Algren said in the movie, The Last Samurai reference the Samurai:

“They are an intriguing people. From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. I have never seem such discipline.”

This is America and we are intriguing ourselves. We are great!