“Everything I Own Has to Be Walked, Watered, Or Insured!”
This is a quote from Reverend David, a pastor at a new thought church in Sarasota, Florida called “The Center For Positive Living” that I used to attend back in the 1990’s.
Since I’ve been traveling thru Central and South America, Europe, The U.K, Africa, and now Asia, as of 2017 I appreciate this profound statement much more than I did when I first heard it.
I realize how little I need and the less I have the freer and happier I feel.
What’s Normal In Modern Society?
The shared philosophy among most people is to find a good job, get married, buy a nice home and car, and start a family.
Although I don’t see anything wrong with this way of life, I’ve known from an early age that it wasn’t for me
I have never cared for owning much because I believe that everything we humans own actually owns us
My Life Abroad
Currently I’m staying at Siem Reap Chilled Backpacker Hostel in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The cost of an air conditioned dorm room with privacy curtains is only $3.75 per night. There are hot showers, fresh linens upon request. and the facility is kept exceptionally clean.
Right outside my door is a full bar restaurant serving Cambodian specialty dishes where I can get an Angkor draft beer for a dollar.
After 4 PM there is Happy Hour so it’s buy 2 drafts or cocktails and get one free.
The hostel also has a full size swimming pool, a pool table, and a dart board.
Food here is not to earth shattering either. A full Cambodian meal runs between $2.50 to $6.
Right next door is a huge music store so I can hang around there a while and pick on a guitar or a ukulele.
My Life While Living In The U.S.
While I was living in Nashville, Tennessee from 2012 to 2019, I paid about $450 a month just to rent a room in a friend’s house.
I paid another $45 a month for cell phone service.
Since there was poor bus service where I lived, I had to drive a car on a congested 4 lane highway everyday to get back and forth to work. I had a second hand car so that added the cost of gas, insurance, car repairs, and tags
Now I’m living kind of like the hobo of Roger Miller’s song: “King OF The Road.”
My favorite lyrics are:
“No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain’t got no cigarettes!”
I am now seeing a good chunk of the world and paying only a fraction of what it costs living in the U.S.
All of my belongings and contained in one large suitcasee that is currently in storage at another hostel in Bangkok, Thailand, a small backpack, and another light bag I keep toiletries and personal items.
The memories I’ve had of all the adventure while meeting and learning from the people I’ve met from around the world is far more valuable than any material thing I could have held onto.
Another statement that has always stuck with me is from Kris Kristopherson’s song sung by Janis Joplin:
“Me And My Bobby McGee’”
“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.
Nothin’ I mean nothin’ hon if it ain’t free!”
Thanks for reading.
I hope this is an inspiration for anyone who longs to be free.
