The Most Important Things Haven't Changed
Happy New Year folks!
Here’s my first edition of 2024 :)
Laura had no idea why her father insisted on moving all over America during childhood but she noted everything down nonetheless.
They bounced from Kansas to the Dakotas to Wisconsin and back, never staying in one place long enough to grow roots.
At the age of 15, she had accumulated enough skills to teach in schools which she did before marrying her husband. Then she began raising chickens, having children, and writing one of the most iconic children’s books ever published — Little House On the Prairie.
This book has sold over 60 million copies worldwide!
Deep into her long life, Laura Ingalls Wilder reflected:
“The real things haven’t changed…
It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.”
For the remainder of our time together, I’ll expand on each point while adding more wisdom from the late great author as well as some anecdotes from my own life.
Be Honest & Truthful
Mark Twain once said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
This is one of the perks of being honest and truthful: There’s nothing to hide and nothing to cover up.
Honesty creates space for authentic sharing, deep connection, and a meaningful life.
Truthfulness allows us to explore life with vulnerability.
Both combine to make a fulfilling life.
Make the Most of What You Have
“The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder
This is echoed in many of the great spiritual teachers around the world.
The Buddha once said: “Be where you are; otherwise, you will miss your life.”
Burgs put it another way: “The chance to be part of this happens briefly.
The invitation is not to show how inventive and imaginative you are but how much you can notice what you’re already part of.”
A simple practice I’ve adopted over the years is to find three things I’m grateful for as the day draws to a close. My girlfriend and I do this before eating dinner together.
Even if it’s been a particularly tough day, this time can reframe it in a positive way and make me appreciate what I have.
Be Happy With Simple Pleasures
I used to chase adventure and the more thrilling the better.
I went skydiving, bungee jumping, scuba diving, waterskiing, mountain climbing, and everything in between. I’ve travelled the world extensively and been humbled by what I’ve found.
Nowadays, though, I appreciate smelling a blossoming flower, growing vegetables, and playing with my cat equally as much.
What I’ve learned is that the simple pleasures in life mean the most. The rest is just a bonus.
“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder
Have Courage When Things Go Wrong
If we do anything long enough, we’re bound to fail. It’s an inevitable part of growth.
“There’s no great loss without some small gain.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder
Courage allows us the strength to continue in the face of adversity and come out the other side with a smile on our faces.
If anything, being on the “wrong” path leads us toward the “right” one.
Matt Haig captured the essence of this best when he said:
“There is no rejection, there is only redirection.”
As rejection hits, it’s important to regroup, refocus, and start again.
This mindset has been a saving grace for me on occasions when my business failed, when I ended up in a lot of debt as a result, when I was heartbroken and lost, and when I had to change career paths on the back of unforeseen circumstances.
With every great loss, as Laura Ingalls Wilder so brilliantly said, comes some small gain and that small gain can redirect our lives in more beautiful ways than we ever imagined possible.
I’m now a full-time writer because my life as a scuba diving instructor came to a halt during the pandemic. As a result, I started writing online and I haven’t looked back since.
This is just one example out of many in my own life and I know there are millions and millions more around the world.
“The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity, and it’s really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad — because you never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.” — Alan Watts
Now it’s your turn - what are some of the most important things in your life?