Day 38 of praying my rosary for Lent. This time, by candlelight. Why I haven't done it by candlelight before, I'm not sure. But it is more effective than just lying in bed with the lights off, as I have tended to lose track of thought or simply just fall asleep on other days.
This small practice was so easy, so simple, and created a really relaxing, tranquil atmosphere. Ate Laura's right. Why can't we have earth hour every day? Reading by candlelight. Dinner by candlelight. Blogging by candlelight. I think I am still legitimately being earthly right now as my laptop is NOT plugged in and running under it's ecoMode of battery power.
I think I am coming close to reducing my consumerism. I did only what I came to do in Vancouver this weekend. No window shopping (as it can lead to actual shopping) along my travels. No purchasing of food on the ferry if I was not actually hungry. Nothing unecessary. My only two purchases were well thought out.
The first, Shane Koyczan's poetry book "Visiting Hours." If you don't know him, all you need to do is YouTube his name and you'll realize that he was that poet from the Opening Ceremonies at the Olympics. I discovered him at Hillside Festival last summer, when I was introduced to slam poetry. This was the first book signing I have ever attended. Rather low-key, as this was a private event for volunteers. It was really nice to be honored in this way for work that they say we do not get recognized enough for. I have never felt more gratitude and thanks than from the co-ordinators and actual people I have served here in my volunteer placements in B.C.
I found a place for my Thank You card (made by a B.C. student) and (empty, because I ate the chocolate wrapped in gold foil) medal, right along my window ledge between the framed pictures of me and my favourite peoples.
The second purchase, the Vancouver Art Gallery's catalogue of Leonardo daVinci's manuscripts of the human body. Such intricate work of the muscles, bones, and nerves. Science is art, and this man proved that. I'm proud of what is now replacing my anatomy textbook. I would like to propose that introductory anatomy courses be taught with da Vinci's drawings as the material we study from. I question why it hasn't been taught this way from the beginning.
Consumerism. It will always exist as we need it even for the bare necessities of life. But it can be optimized through making it local, and finding ways to parallel demands with needing less, but actually receiving more. The challenge for me, and a serious one, is being able to focus it fully on needs only. It will be more about sticking to living simply than living on a tight budget for me right now.
I have moved on to a new story to captivate me and that has already been bringing me to tears in its first chapter: "Stones Into Schools" by Greg Mortensen. A continuation of "Three Cups of Tea" and developing Pakistan and now Afghanistan through educating their children. Stories like this are really becoming a focus for me, and will likely remain one as I continue with work that is trying to create solidarity with the people struggling with poverty and employment - those deeply lacking the freedom to practice their human rights. I'm being called to think more globally now - these are really new beginnings for me.
Just a thought, something to try. I hadn't done this in a while and wanted to see how the results would differ. Maybe you will think I am a nerd, or loser, or both. And if so, well, we all are, aren't we?
Today, I googled my name. And the results were indeed different in that there were a considerable amount more of them, and that they were dominated by rowing links. And they were all the real me, not some other Katrina out there with the same last name.
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