One of the positive outcomes of my many years in “exile” (self-imposed but necessary) is that I’ve had to make many things that I could just as easily buy in the store back home. I’ve become a skilled practitioner of “makedoism”.
Some have been a complete failure (beer, wine, clothing, charcuterie) but others have been stellar creations (pizza, bread, muffins, computers). However, when it comes to food - no matter how big the failure, they all were edible and tasty.
Today I spent the day doing some baking. Banana bread. Bananas are just over a buck for a great big stalk. Yeah, no starving here for me.
I wrote previously and reusing things. I find I enjoy much more keeping things for a long time or making my own things. I think it is a lot of what can bring authenticity into one’s life. I’m not cheerleading self-reliance, end of the world BS. No, just being fulfilled by “doing it on your own”.
Remember the sense of achievement when you first road straight on your bike or got your shoes tied by yourself? I do. And I get that same feeling every time I practice “makedoism”.
In our rush-away world, we seemingly don’t have time for these natural things, these skills of doing things for ourselves. We outsource everything and I think we are poorer for it. Imagine a lion that didn’t know how to bring down a deer, or never even tried?
In not doing almost anything ourselves, we lose touch with our nature, our self. And that’s what brings so much unnecessary complexity and psychopathy to the world. It’s not the whole story but it is part of it.
So now, I am pulling out of the oven my first loaf of “beer bread”. Let’s see how it goes! Whatever the outcome, for me, it will be tasty, fulfilling!
Whatever you can do, make, yourself. Do it!
One of the reasons i check my emails everyday is to see whether there's a new email from you and i always try to read your poems carefully. I love to do or make things by myself, as long as i have nothing else to do and not be in a rush.